Is a "Jobless Future" Inevitable? One Tech Event Is Proving This Theory Wrong

ROUND ROCK, Texas, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LazerCON 2026, taking place May 28–29 in Round Rock, Texas, will bring together small business owners, entrepreneurs, and side hustlers to explore how and why the personalization industry can grow in the age of AI.

Countering predictions from tech leaders about a future with less work, LazerCON 2026 will present a different post-AI economy, one in which the personalization market emerges as the winner of the AI era.

Tong Li, founder of AP Lazer®, is scheduled to speak at the conference that his company sponsors. "Small business owners are wondering, what happens to my business as AI transforms the industries?" Li said. "The assumption behind a 'jobless future' is that spending and work are only about our basic needs for survival, but when essential products are cheap, we would spend more on emotional satisfaction."

Referring to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Li explains that consumers will have far greater demand for love, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization, needs on an emotional and spiritual level, after survival needs are met.

Today, many American families spend most of their take-home income on survival, like housing, food, clothing, transportation, and on savings for long-term needs, leaving only a very small portion for discretionary spending on fun, meaning, and emotional satisfaction.

"When AI reduces the cost of living down close to nothing, we can spend most of the take-home pay on joy of life activities and products, the personalization market will flourish, along with entertainment, travel, sports, music, art, live theater, culture, religion, and all emotionally satisfying products and services, which will create more jobs," Li notes that consumer behavior, especially among younger generations, is already reflecting this shift toward meaning and experience over mass production.

LazerCON 2026 will focus on personalized gifts, furniture, home décor, signage, musical instruments, memorials, and experiential products.

Those attending the event will see hands-on demonstrations, business workshops, and breakout sessions teaching strategies for building a personalization business in the AI era. Real-world applications of laser technology across multiple industries will also be showcased, along with ways to create unique products that compete on more than price alone.

"Our greatest differentiation factor from AI is our humanity," Li said. "Human needs for relationships, memories, experiences, identity, and meaning are virtually unlimited. That's where small businesses will thrive, creating more jobs for humans."

Event Details

Event: LazerCON 2026
Theme: The Post-AI Personalization Economy
Date: May 28–29, 2026
Location: Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Round Rock, Texas
Registration: https://hub.aplazer.com/lazercon-2026-social

About AP Lazer^®

AP Lazer^® is a leading innovator in laser engraving technology and the creator of the world's first integrated dual-laser system combining MOPA fiber and CO₂ laser technologies into its low-rider machine platform. The company empowers entrepreneurs, makers, artists, and small business owners to create high-value personalized products without the size, weight, or material limitations of conventional laser systems. Through education, innovation, and community-driven events like LazerCON, AP Lazer promotes the growing personalization economy, where creativity, emotional value, and human connection drive the future of business in the AI era.

Media Contact

Tony Mantua, Creative Director
AP Lazer^®
Phone: 800-585-8617
Email: [email protected]

Website: https://aplazer.com

Event Registration: https://hub.aplazer.com/lazercon-2026-social

SOURCE AP Lazer