Time-saving technology has long been a double-edged sword for workers. While new tech can mean less work for humans, less work also often means fewer jobs as well. Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing as the next major technological disruption in the modern world. Tools like generative AI (GenAI) can complete many tasks once exclusively the purview of humans and often much more quickly and with fewer errors.
The Human Touch Matters
It may be surprising, then, to hear that, despite AI’s promise, fundamentally human skills and qualities remain in high demand. Some would say such “soft skills” are more in demand than ever.
For example, according to Cornerstone’s Global State of the Skills Economy Report, demand for human skills continues to outpace demand for digital skills, by a factor of 2.4 to 1 in North America and 2.9 to 1 in Europe. The top human-skills-related job postings are communication, interpersonal collaboration and problem solving.
Demand for Soft Skills
The demand for these “soft skills” illustrates the limitations of even advanced artificial technologies like AI. GenAI can build advanced spreadsheets, answer complex questions and even create high-quality images and videos. But it can’t—at least in its current state—resolve workplace conflicts, inspire engagement or come up with truly novel solutions to company problems.
It’s certainly possible that AI will continue to develop such that it can offer a workable alternative to humans when it comes to soft skills, but that does not seem to be on the immediate horizon for this technology.
Humans in Demand
That means that humans will continue to be a crucial factor in most organizations, although their specific roles may change. Technical skills like coding, content creation, editing and even expertise with spreadsheets and other complex applications continue to become less critical in human staff. At the same time, uniquely human skills like communication and problem solving will increasingly be in high demand.
Lin Grensing-Pophal is a Contributing Editor at HR Daily Advisor.
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