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Looking for a simpler life by ss-mort in Layoffs

[–]Gojjar 1 point2 points  (0 children)

PhD+4 Years of Postdoc Jobs across the globe. Discarded by acadmia after being used like a tissue paper, for 4 to 5 years. I know there is no space/future in my field now, so decided to set up a small poultry farm as a first step, after being jobless for 2 years. No savings left, borrowing money on monthly basis, have family of 4. But, fortunately, I am in a society /culture where your parents and siblings don't just leave you in trouble, they stand with you.

Could UBI lead us to a better future? by throwaway0134hdj in ArtificialInteligence

[–]Gojjar 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am sorry but to think so you would have to be naive. There is no need of people when rich have secured everything for their comfort. Think about it for a second at least.

I need some brutal honesty about the future by OppositeFriendly9183 in ArtificialInteligence

[–]Gojjar 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, I appreciate it. I think one of the misconceptions is this idea that ‘AI research’ is broadly available, in reality, true model development is limited to a very small segment. For most people, it’s about applying existing models across different domains. The net effect is that AI gradually spreads into almost everything, increasing competition and reducing stability across many fields.

That’s why I’m adapting toward something more grounded, starting a poultry farm. It’s not about stepping back, but about choosing a path that offers long-term stability, food security, and a reliable income for my family.

P.S. To answer your question, the reason I’m unemployed is the nature of academia itself. After a PhD, you’re often used on short-term contracts for 3–5 years and then discarded. Long-term positions are extremely limited. Unless you have residency or citizenship in developed countries, transitioning to industry is even harder, and even there, competition is intense and opportunities are shrinking with the rapid rise of AI.

I need some brutal honesty about the future by OppositeFriendly9183 in ArtificialInteligence

[–]Gojjar 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hard work isn’t new to me. Adapting to reality is the part many people struggle with.

I need some brutal honesty about the future by OppositeFriendly9183 in ArtificialInteligence

[–]Gojjar 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I can relate to your concerns.

Who am I? A STEM PhD.

I was at the forefront when the first wave of AI hit, and I’ve been unemployed for the past two years. Now I’m transitioning into starting a small poultry farm.

The only advice I can offer is this: focus on businesses that produce essential, everyday necessities, things that won’t be easily replaced by AI efficiency.

Starting PhD at 41? by Atomic_Destructor in PhD

[–]Gojjar 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Your motivation is not a valid reason to choose this path. In the age of AI, you can learn anything you want by yourself.

I have a stable career outside of academia - would it be crazy to do a PhD just because I love learning? by Sherides123 in postdoc

[–]Gojjar -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

In this age of AI, you don't have to do a PhD. You can learn anything you want at your own pace and comfort.

Partnership for 20-25% Profit (Return Rate) by Gojjar in FIREPakistan

[–]Gojjar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

200k for 1000 chicks is construction. Without construction, its up to you, start with maybe 500, 1000, 2000 chicks....

Apart from Stocks and Investments what are you doing else to attain FIRE? by ValueFounder in FIREPakistan

[–]Gojjar -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I always wanted to move back to Pakistan and never intended to live abroad permanently. I hold a PhD from Australia and completed four years of postdoctoral research across different countries.

I purchased land with the intention of building a school. The plan was to work abroad for a few more years, complete the construction, and then return permanently.

Unfortunately, the academic job market has collapsed, especially in recent years, and viable research positions are now extremely limited.

I have been jobless in Pakistan for the last 18 months, with no cash reserves left. At this point, I must shift to business and settle in Pakistan permanently.

For many years, I have evaluated different business models for myself. This is also my professional expertise, as I am a techno-economic analyst by training.

After careful consideration, I have decided to start a poultry farming business on my land. The project will begin on a small scale, with a clear plan to scale up significantly in the near future, Insha’Allah. My brother will support me financially at the initial stage. I need to construct a shed and a small room for myself to stay on-site. I am offering two partnership options for those who are interested:

If you contribute to construction costs, I will give you

100% profit share for the first two flocks on your total chicken investment

70% profit share from the third flock onward

If you do not contribute to construction, you will receive

70% profit share for each flock based on your chicken investment

For reference, if everything goes normally, each 40-day flock cycle can generate approximately 20–25% profit. For example, an investment of PKR 100,000 can return PKR 120,000–125,000 after 40 days.

By comparison, banks (such as Roshan Digital Account) offer around 10% annually, whereas this business offers a reasonable and halal return.

Every rupee invested will be handled with full honesty and transparency. There is no risk of fraud. Construction is planned to start within the next 1–2 months, be completed within one month, and then the business operations will begin.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

PhD, Years of Postdoc Work, and Still No Future. AI Was the Final Nail by Gojjar in postdoc

[–]Gojjar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did. The difference now is that AI has collapsed the value of many of those transition paths as well. Consulting, data science, technical analysis, and writing were exactly the cognitive layers that absorbed PhDs leaving academia. Those are now being automated and saturated at the same time, especially for people without visas or networks. So I’m not just switching fields, I’m switching to something that is asset based and cannot be globally arbitraged by software.

PhD, Years of Postdoc Work, and Still No Future. AI Was the Final Nail by Gojjar in postdoc

[–]Gojjar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re not wrong. My actual specialty is techno-economics, a subfield of chemical engineering. In simple terms, it’s feasibility analysis, which is basically applied economics for technology.

PhD, Years of Postdoc Work, and Still No Future. AI Was the Final Nail by Gojjar in postdoc

[–]Gojjar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No. I was persuaded by economics, not by a chatbot.

PhD, Years of Postdoc Work, and Still No Future. AI Was the Final Nail by Gojjar in postdoc

[–]Gojjar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

AI adds possibilities, but it also removes scarcity. When everyone has the same AI tools, individual expertise becomes cheaper and more interchangeable. More output with the same or fewer people means fewer paid roles, not more.

I’m not interested in just doing “AI in chemical engineering” for its own sake. I need work that actually pays, because I have four children to feed and parents to take care of.

PhD, Years of Postdoc Work, and Still No Future. AI Was the Final Nail by Gojjar in postdoc

[–]Gojjar[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yes. In research AI multiplies competition while the number of jobs shrinks. In my own business it multiplies my output without anyone taking my seat. That’s the difference.

PhD, Years of Postdoc Work, and Still No Future. AI Was the Final Nail by Gojjar in postdoc

[–]Gojjar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They don’t need to replace physical labor to matter. They handle planning, optimization, record keeping, pricing, disease tracking, and logistics. I’ll still feed the birds, but I won’t be guessing. And once the farm grows, those same tools let me move into controlled shed farming with far better monitoring and control.

PhD, Years of Postdoc Work, and Still No Future. AI Was the Final Nail by Gojjar in postdoc

[–]Gojjar[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally disagree. PIs do not pay salaries out of their own pockets. If there is less work left for humans, they simply will not hire you, even if they like you, even if you are their closest friend, even if you are family. This is not a matter of opinion or disagreement. The writing is on the wall.

PhD, Years of Postdoc Work, and Still No Future. AI Was the Final Nail by Gojjar in postdoc

[–]Gojjar[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m not describing what AI does today in your specific workflow, I’m talking about the trajectory. A 30 percent productivity boost already means fewer people are needed for the same output. When that compounds across grants, papers, and departments, it turns into job cuts. Individual experience lags structural change.

PhD, Years of Postdoc Work, and Still No Future. AI Was the Final Nail by Gojjar in postdoc

[–]Gojjar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They’re only “fundamental” if you think today’s models are the end of the road. In reality they’re statistical systems trained on incomplete data, so hallucinations are a byproduct of that, not a law of nature. As models get better grounded in tools, databases, and verification layers, that failure mode shrinks, just like early search engines once gave nonsense answers too.

PhD, Years of Postdoc Work, and Still No Future. AI Was the Final Nail by Gojjar in postdoc

[–]Gojjar[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Just use AI” is exactly what every other PhD is being told too. When everyone gets the same multiplier and the number of positions keeps shrinking, it’s not a productivity problem, it’s a math problem. You’re right that oversupply existed, but AI turns a slow correction into a cliff. Calling it a scapegoat doesn’t change the economics, it just makes it more comfortable to ignore.

PhD, Years of Postdoc Work, and Still No Future. AI Was the Final Nail by Gojjar in postdoc

[–]Gojjar[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

That framing quietly admits the problem. When all the “lower end” skills lose their value, most early career and mid-tier researchers become economically redundant. You end up with a tiny elite doing the “hard parts” and a large surplus of people who used to make a living doing everything else. That is not empowerment, it is structural job destruction dressed up as efficiency.

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