Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki is known for his love for gold and bitcoin, but he also makes regular claims about employment, including predicting a dramatic AI shake-up of the jobs market.

“BIGGEST CHANGE in MODERN HISTORY,” Kiyosaki declared in an X post from July 2025 (1). “AI will cause many ‘smart students’ to lose their jobs. AI will cause massive unemployment. Many still have student loan debt.”

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It’s starting to look like he might be a prophet.

Since the beginning of 2026, several high-profile companies have announced layoffs due to AI advancements. Jack Dorsey made headlines in early March by announcing that his fintech company, Block, would cut 40% of its workforce (2). This followed cuts at Salesforce, where 4,000 customer support roles were slashed due to AI (3), and a 15% workforce reduction at Pinterest (4). For those with debt, losing your job to AI-driven cuts is close to a nightmare scenario.

That begs the question: Is Kiyosaki worried about losing his own empire to a robotic revolution?

“AI cannot fire me because I do not have a job,” he wrote in the same post on X.

That’s because Kiyosaki isn’t just a prophet but also a passive income evangelist, which he believes is the safe route for protecting your lifestyle and livelihood.

“Years ago, rather than listen to my poor dad’s advice of ‘Go to school, get good grades, get a job, pay taxes, get out of debt, save money, and invest in a well diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds,’ I followed my rich dad’s advice. I became an entrepreneur, investing in real estate, using debt, and instead of saving fake money, I have been saving real gold, silver, and today Bitcoin.”

Here’s a look at what some CEOs are saying about AI and the job market, and how you can ensure you have passive income — whether you rely on a 9-to-5 or not.

AI and the future of work, according to CEOs

As might be expected, there isn’t total agreement about AI’s effects on future job prospects.

Some who foresee big changes. For example, Tech mogul Elon Musk weighed in on the topic at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in November 2025, suggesting work will become “optional” in the future as AI continues to develop (5).

“It’ll be like playing sports or a video game or something like that,” he said. “In the same way you can go to the store and just buy some vegetables, or you can grow vegetables in your backyard.”

“It’s much harder to grow vegetables in your backyard, but some people still do it because they like growing vegetables. That will be what work is like, optional. Now, between now and then, there’s actually a lot of work to get to that point.”

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic — the AI company behind the large language model Claude — had a slightly less rosy take on the subject. Amodei warned that AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs and push the unemployment rate as high as 20% in the next one to five years (6).

That’s a scary thought.

However, not all CEOs and job market experts are convinced that AI is the real cause behind companies scaling back on their human resources. Whoop CEO Will Ahmed wrote in a post on X, “Investing in talent and AI tools are not mutually exclusive,” pointing to the growth of his own company. “Many of these ‘AI layoffs’ are just companies underperforming or lacking a bigger market opportunity (7).”

Other experts have accused companies of “AI-washing” their recent layoffs. Speaking to CNBC, Fabian Stephany, assistant professor of AI and work at the Oxford Internet Institute, said companies are now “scapegoating” the technology to take the fall for layoffs.

“I’m really skeptical whether the layoffs that we see currently are really due to true efficiency gains. It’s rather really a projection into AI in the sense of ‘We can use AI to make good excuses,’” he said (8).

No matter where you fall on the AI and jobs debate, one thing is clear: It’s critical to safeguard your income, particularly as periods of unemployment may be the new norm.

Read More: Turning 50 with $0 saved for retirement? Most people don’t realize they’re actually just entering their prime earning decade. Here are 6 ways to catch up fast

From earned income to passive income

Kiyosaki’s story about rejecting his poor dad’s advice and following his rich dad’s instead highlights a simple choice: Rather than getting a traditional job, he became an entrepreneur and started investing in real estate — an asset known for generating passive income.

Kiyosaki has frequently emphasized the importance of generating passive income. “I have always recommended people become entrepreneurs, at least a side hustle, and not need job security. Then invest in income-producing real estate, in a crash, which provides steady cash flow,” he wrote in an X post in 2025 (9).

Most importantly, once you build a reliable stream of passive income, you can worry less about AI replacing your job because you no longer rely solely on a paycheck.

Earning passive income through real estate

Real estate has long been a favored asset for income-focused investors. While stock markets can swing wildly on headlines, high-quality properties often continue to generate stable rental income.

Perhaps that’s why Kiyosaki once disclosed he owns 15,000 houses during an interview with personal finance YouTuber Sharan Hegde — strictly for investment purposes (10).

Today, you don’t need to be as wealthy as Kiyosaki to get started in real estate investing. Crowdfunding platforms like Arrived have made it easier than ever for everyday investors to gain exposure to this income-generating asset class.

Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived helps you invest in shares of rental homes with as little as $100, all without the hassle of mowing lawns, fixing leaky faucets or handling midnight calls from difficult tenants.

How it works is simple: Browse a curated selection of homes vetted for their appreciation value and income potential. Once you find a property you like, just select the number of shares you want to purchase and sit back as you start receiving any positive rental income distributions from your investment.

Turning to precious metals

Generating passive income from real estate is perhaps the closest way to follow in Kiyosaki’s footsteps, but there are others.

Consider his disdain for fiat currency, which he calls “fake money,” and saving with “real gold and silver” instead (10).

That’s no surprise — the famed author has been advocating for precious metals for decades.

In October 2023, he made yet another prediction on X: “Gold will soon break through $2,100 and then take off. You will wish you had bought gold below $2,000. Next stop, gold $3,700 (11).”

His prediction was more than accurate, as gold touched a record high of $5,500 an ounce in January 2026, despite a recent pullback (12).

Opting for gold

Gold has long been viewed as a safe-haven investment. It’s not tied to any one country, currency or economy. It can’t be printed out of thin air like fiat money, and investors tend to pile in during times of economic turmoil or geopolitical uncertainty — driving up its value.

A gold IRA is one option for building up your retirement fund with an inflation-hedging asset.

Opening a gold IRA with the help of Goldco allows you to invest in gold and other precious metals in physical forms while also providing the significant tax advantages of an IRA.

With a minimum purchase of $10,000, Goldco offers will also match up to 10% of qualified purchases in free silver.

If you’re curious whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can even download your free 2026 gold and silver information guide today.

Exploring the realm of Bitcoin

In addition to gold, Kiyosaki said he also saves in bitcoin — again, no surprise given that he has long been a vocal supporter of the world’s largest cryptocurrency.

However, this volatile market is not for the weak of heart.

Bitcoin’s performance in 2025 has many investors predicting a long term bear market for top cryptocurrencies, with some investors saying bitcoin could bottom out in the $50,000 range if trends continue (13).

On the flip side, depending on how you think about it, a dip could just be a chance to buy in. For most of 2025, Bitcoin traded at over $100,000 per coin, meaning that now is the time you could get in at a lower price — unless you’re betting on even sharper drops to come.

Bracing for change with crypto

For those with the stomach to ride the bitcoin waves, new crypto platforms have made it easier for everyday investors to tap into this decentralized currency.

One option is Robinhood Crypto, which helps users to buy and sell crypto with as little as $1. You can also access dozens of other coins, if your faith in Bitcoin has been shaken.

Even better, Robinhood Crypto has the lowest trading cost on average in the U.S. — meaning you could get up to 3.5% more crypto compared to trading on other platforms.

Are you spending more than you need to?

While building passive income streams through bitcoin or precious metals can help you prepare for the “biggest change” Kiyosaki warns about, it’s just as crucial to understand where your money goes each month.

Try tracking all your expenses for 30 days, then sort them into two categories: necessities — like rent, groceries, utilities and health care — and discretionary spending, such as dining out, entertainment, shopping and hobbies.

Breaking down your financial ins and outs can give you a clearer picture of your spending habits and help identify areas where you can cut back. Building a buffer in the event of AI-driven unemployment could give you the head room to re-skill or find more work.

But trimming waste isn’t just about skipping lattes or takeout.

Even in essential categories, you may be spending more than you need to. The good news? With a bit of research, those costs can often be significantly reduced.

Tackling recurring expenses

For instance, car insurance is a major monthly expense for many, and some Americans are likely overpaying without realizing it. According to Forbes, the average cost of full-coverage car insurance is $2,149 per year, or $179 per month (14).

However, rates can vary widely depending on your state, driving history and vehicle type.

By using OfficialCarInsurance.com, now you can easily compare quotes from multiple insurers, such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO, to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

In just two minutes, you could find rates as low as $29 per month.