What can Victorian bootmakers tell us about AI disruption?

This FT commentary uses 19th-century bootmakers displaced by machinery to draw parallels with today's AI impact on white-collar jobs. It argues that, like bootmakers who pivoted to repair work, AI won't eliminate roles but reshape them. The real risk is skills becoming obsolete without a new niche. The post doesn't specify industries or timelines, but its core takeaway: history shows winners are those who quickly learn to collaborate with machines.