Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki has a sobering take on one of today’s hottest trends: artificial intelligence (AI).
“BIGGEST CHANGE in MODERN HISTORY,” he declared in an X post on July 1. “AI will cause many ‘smart students’ to lose their jobs. AI will cause massive unemployment. Many still have student loan debt.”
Kiyosaki isn’t alone in sounding the alarm. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic — the AI company behind the large language model Claude — recently warned that AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs and push the unemployment rate as high as 20%.
But Kiyosaki isn’t worried about himself, quipping, “AI cannot fire me because I do not have a job.”
He went on to describe his own philosophy, recalling the contrasting advice he received from his poor dad and his rich dad.
“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,” he wrote.
Let’s take a closer look at these suggestions.
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.
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.
Kiyosaki has frequently emphasized the importance of this approach. “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 on May 19.
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.
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 allows you to invest in shares of rental homes with as little as $100, all without the hassle of mowing lawns, fixing leaky faucets or handling difficult tenants.
The process is simple: Browse a curated selection of homes that have been vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, select the number of shares you’d like to purchase, and then sit back as you start receiving positive rental income distributions from your investment.
The Vanzant
Single Family Residential
$415K
Invested
1,294
Investors
The Smokey
Vacation Rental
$983K
Invested
1,748
Investors
The SuiteSpot
Vacation Rental
$1.2M
Invested
1,672
Investors
These are a few examples of properties from Arrived. Check out the full list of single family residential homes and vacation rentals currently available.
Turning to precious metals
Kiyosaki didn’t mince words about his disdain for fiat currency, stating that he saves in “real gold and silver” instead of what he calls “fake money.”
That’s no surprise — the famed author has been advocating for precious metals for decades.
In October 2023, he predicted 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.”
Prices surged in 2024 and have continued to climb through 2025, recently surpassing $3,300 per ounce.
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.
One way to invest in gold that also provides significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of Priority Gold.
Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, which combines the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold, making it an option for those looking to help shield their retirement funds against economic uncertainties.
When you make a qualifying purchase with Priority Gold, you can receive up to $10,000 in silver for free.
Bitcoin
Kiyosaki said he also saves in Bitcoin — no surprise, given that he has long been a vocal supporter of the world’s largest cryptocurrency.
He recently described Bitcoin as “people’s money” and predicted it could soar to “$500K to $1 million.”
He’s not alone in that view. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey said in May 2024 that Bitcoin could hit “at least” $1 million by 2030 — and possibly go even higher.
For those looking to get into the crypto market, you could start with the largest U.S. crypto exchange, Coinbase.
The platform allows you to easily buy, sell, and store digital currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. And with its own wallet service, you can store hundreds of different cryptocurrencies securely.
With over $269 billion in safeguarded assets and 245,000 partners in 100 countries, Coinbase is a trusted name in the crypto space.
Are you spending more than you need to?
While building passive income streams 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.
This breakdown gives you a clear picture of your spending habits and helps identify areas where you can cut back. 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.
For instance, car insurance is a major recurring expense, and many people overpay without realizing it. According to Forbes, the average cost of full-coverage car insurance is $2,149 per year (or $179 per month).
However, rates can vary widely depending on your state, driving history and vehicle type, and you could be paying more than necessary.
By using OfficialCarInsurance.com, 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.
Jing is an investment reporter for MoneyWise. He is an avid advocate of investing for passive income. Despite the ups and downs he’s been through with the markets, Jing believes that you can generate a steadily increasing income stream by investing in high quality companies.
