07 Apr The Smarter AI gets, the More Human we need to be
Guest Post by Clare Facey, co-founder AIplusMe
When I spoke to the Learning Curve team about writing an article on the human skills needed in the future of AI, I (ironically) reached straight for ChatGPT. What came back, no matter how many prompts I wrote or edits I requested, sounded like AI, not like me.
So I went back to my researcher roots. I started reading, exploring, questioning… and most importantly, challenging what I was reading. I still used AI, to sense-check sources, tidy up my spelling, and even to challenge my thinking, but the ideas, the direction, the perspective… that came from me.
I used my human skills, my social imagination, my judgement and my curiosity. And I loved writing this.
Thank you to the Learning Curve team for asking me to write this, and to be reminded what it is that really makes us human. If you like would like to find out more about the human side of AI please contact us at hello@aiplusme.co.uk
Erik Brynjolfsson challenged a core assumption in his paper The Turing Trap: The Promise & Peril of Human-Like Artificial Intelligence: that the goal of AI should be to replicate human intelligence. He argued this was the wrong focus. As machines become better at replacing human work, people risk losing influence and becoming dependent on those who control the technology. But when AI is used to support humans rather than replace them, people retain both their power and their share in the value created.
This idea is reinforced by Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft, who advocates for “augmented AI”, technology that enhances human capability. In practice, this means using AI to handle routine tasks so people can focus on higher-value work, from doctors spending more time with patients to professionals applying deeper judgement in decision-making.
While headlines often focus on job losses, research from the McKinsey Global Institute suggests a more balanced reality. Although AI could automate tasks that make up more than half of today’s work activities, this does not mean jobs will disappear. Instead, roles will evolve, with people spending more time on complex, human-led work.
The workforce isn’t going anywhere, but the skills required within it are changing, and they are changing now.
Critically, these are human skills. The real risk is not AI itself, but our tendency to outsource thinking, judgement, and creativity. Tools like ChatGPT generate responses based on probability, not experience or accountability. Treating those outputs as fact without challenge is not efficiency, it’s complacency.
The organisations that get this right will rethink how work is designed, combining AI efficiency with human strengths. They will build capability in working alongside AI, framing problems, interpreting outputs, and knowing when to step in, while actively investing in reskilling and continuous learning.
The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2023 highlights that the most in-demand skills are increasingly human, analytical thinking, creativity, resilience, and judgement. Leadership is also shifting, with greater emphasis on interpreting and applying AI-driven insights responsibly.
These are the skills AI cannot replicate. Humans challenge flawed outputs, make decisions in uncertainty, take accountability, and build trust. They create differentiation, credibility, and results, yet they are also the most at risk if we over-rely on technology.
Harvard Business Review has warned of “automation bias,” where people begin to over-trust AI without critical evaluation. And that is where the real danger lies. AI is excellent at producing answers that sound right, polished, confident, and convincing, but confidence is not accuracy.
AI will transform how work gets done. It will help us think faster, explore more ideas, and spot gaps more easily. But human work will endure.The organisations that succeed won’t just invest in technology, they’ll invest in people.In a world where the majority will have access to AI, the real advantage will come from how well humans think, challenge, innovate and make decisions.
Want to sharpen your human edge alongside AI? Let’s start with your communication, confidence, and emotional intelligence, find out more here. If you would like to join the next AIplusMe course, find out more here.
Human First. AI Confident.
Posted by Clare Facey, co-founder AIplusMe
