News & Trending Money News

Mark Cuban's 3-Word Formula for Surviving the AI Economy

The future is unknown, so focus on skills that were valuable in the past.

By Chris Kissell , Edited by Laura Hohenstein

Updated Nov. 10, 2026

Add Us On Google

Where is artificial intelligence headed? No one knows for sure, including billionaire business mogul Mark Cuban. However, Cuban has some specific advice for workers who worry about how AI will reshape the job market.

Following Cuban's tips may keep you one step ahead of the rapidly changing career landscape and boost your odds of maintaining financial fitness in the future.

Now Available: The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income

Many successful investors eventually reach the same moment. The saving is done, the portfolio is built, and the question quietly changes from how much can I grow this to how much can I take out? Get that second question wrong and decades of good investing can come apart in a handful of years.

That is exactly what The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income helps answer.¹ <p class="">Investing in securities involves a risk of loss. Past performance is never a guarantee of future returns. Investing in foreign stock markets involves additional risks, such as the risk of currency fluctuations. Guides are provided by Fisher Investments. The publisher may be compensated when readers request a guide.</p> It covers what your retirement could actually cost, which income sources are worth using, and the withdrawal math that decides whether the money lasts. It is free today from Fisher Investments. Read More Here ›

3 traits that can help you master AI

While Cuban is unsure about AI's ultimate impact on jobs, he told CNBC Make It that every worker should prepare now by honing three key traits.

"I can pretend that I'm gonna be able to predict where AI's going and the exact impact on the job market, but I'd be lying; I have no idea," Cuban told CNBC. "But I do know that I am gonna pay attention, and be agile, and be curious, and be able to adapt."

Cuban recommends focusing on these three traits precisely because they don't depend on guessing the future. Instead, they are key skills that can help you adapt to any changes that occur.

Shopping for cheaper auto insurance? Enter your zip code here to get started.

Agility

It is somewhat natural to simply hope AI will go away without causing major disruption to our careers. But that is unlikely.

Rather than responding to AI with fear, Cuban urges you to learn how the new technology works and to master it.

For example, Cuban has said that if he was 16, he would go all-in on tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini.

"Then, I would go to businesses, particularly small- to medium-sized businesses that don't understand AI yet," Cuban told CNBC. "Doesn't matter if I'm 16, I'd be teaching them as well."

Curiosity

When Cuban appeared on the Your Mom's House podcast, co-host Robert Smith asked the billionaire what advice he would give to his kids.

"Just be curious," Cuban said. "That's what I try to get them to do."

The more you understand something new, the less you will fear it. You might even find that you enjoy the new technology and its ability to increase your productivity.

So, try to remain curious about AI instead of ignoring it. If you keep learning about AI, you will be better prepared to seize the opportunities it offers instead of merely trying to keep up with the changes the technology creates.

Released: The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income (Sponsor)

Most people spend their entire working lives focusing on one thing: growing a pile of money. Then they retire and discover the skill they actually need is close to the opposite. Turning that pile into steady income, year after year, through good markets and bad, without ever running out. It may be the least discussed and most consequential transition in personal finance, and plenty of otherwise careful investors walk into it with no real plan.

That is exactly what The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income helps answer.¹ <p class="">Investing in securities involves a risk of loss. Past performance is never a guarantee of future returns. Investing in foreign stock markets involves additional risks, such as the risk of currency fluctuations. Guides are provided by Fisher Investments. The publisher may be compensated when readers request a guide.</p> It is a free guide from Fisher Investments covering what your retirement will really cost, where the cash flow should come from, and how much you can safely withdraw each year. Learn More Here ›

Adaptability

The world is always undergoing change. AI is just the latest in an endless string of technologies that have disrupted the way things were done in the past.

Because change is inevitable, it is crucial that all workers focus on becoming better at applying old skills in new ways. You want to thrive in situations of uncertainty instead of falling apart.

A 2024 LinkedIn report found that adaptability is a skill that employers increasingly value.

In the report, Aneesh Raman, LinkedIn's chief economic opportunity officer, wrote the following: "Adaptability is the best way to have agency right now. At the core of managing change is building that muscle of adaptability."

Don't wait to hone these skills

You might be tempted to wait and see how AI plays out before you take steps to improve your skills.

But that almost certainly would be a mistake.

The world is a competitive place, and is only growing more so as time passes. You want to get ahead of the curve by improving your skills now.

That way, you can pounce on the opportunities AI creates as soon as they become available.

How to get started on learning AI

As Cuban has noted, the best way to sharpen your AI skills is to dive in and work with tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini.

Don't worry about being perfect. Instead, simply try to get the basics under your belt before improving from there. Once you feel a bit more comfortable with AI, try to expand your base of knowledge by becoming more deeply involved. For example, consider going to your boss and volunteering to take on any available AI-related tasks at your company.

Not only will this improve your ability to use AI, but your initiative is likely to impress the powers that be at your firm. It will help you stand out from others who let fear of failure prevent them from trying new things.

Make Money: 8 things to do if you're barely scraping by financially

Bottom line

Many workers today worry that AI will ruin their careers by making their skills irrelevant. But Cuban reminds us that the skills that have been important for centuries are likely to remain so for a long time to come.

While almost everything in life and work changes, the three skills of agility, curiosity, and adaptability are constants. Mastering these skills can help you meet any challenges that emerge in the job landscape.

Improving such skills also boosts your ability to get ahead financially and to remain employable regardless of the changes that may be on the horizon.

More from FinanceBuzz:

Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
$0 annual fee
Apply Now

INTRO OFFER: Receive a $200 statement credit when you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months of account opening
UNLIMITED CASHBACK MATCH: Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300. Click Apply Now to view important rates and disclosures
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
Redeem cash back for any amount. Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem
Rewards don't expire for the life of the account
No annual fee and no foreign transaction fee
Lock your card in the Mobile app if it’s misplaced, lost, or stolen
You're covered by $0 Fraud Liability for unauthorized charges

4.7

Apply Now

on Issuer's secure website

Read Card Review

Intro Offer

UNLIMITED CASHBACK MATCH: Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300. Click Apply Now to view important rates and disclosures. Plus, receive a $200 statement credit when you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months of account opening

Annual Fee

Why we like it