The Human Skills That Still Matter in an AI World (And Why They Might Matter More Than Ever)

You’ve heard it everywhere: 'AI is coming for your job'.

The truth? It is already here and mass displacement is happening not seen since the coal mines were closed in the the UK between 1980 and 1994. During this period, over 200,000 miners lost their jobs (a 90 % reduction in the industry's workforce). This also lead to widespread displacement within the affected communities. 

That said, not everything can be automated by AI - and IMO not everything should be.

If you want to stay relevant, trusted, and valuable, you need to develop and enhance the skills AI can’t replicate.

Here’s what those are and why they matter more now than ever. 

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

AI can analyse data but it can’t feel a pause in someone’s voice with instinct. It can’t sense when a meeting goes cold or when someone’s just not okay.

EQ is the glue of teams, leadership, and trust. It’s not “soft.” It’s strategic.

Strategic Thinking

AI can give you options. It can forecast scenarios. But it won’t choose your path.

That’s where human judgment comes in: weighing nuance, reading risk, and making the call.

Strategic thinking isn’t about being a genius, it’s about clarity under complexity.

 

Adaptability

You’ve heard of confidence. But adaptability? That’s what will keep you in the game.

In a world where tech is moving faster than job descriptions can keep up, your ability to learn, adjust, and evolve is the most underrated superpower.

 

Trust + Connection

Here’s the thing about trust it’s invisible, but you feel it. You’ve walked into meetings and instantly liked someone, right? Not because of what they said. Just… something about them.

That’s connection. That’s trust. And no AI, no matter how life like, can replicate that.

Curiosity

AI can give you answers. But curiosity is the fuel to asks more questions. Curious people stay relevant. They explore. They don’t wait to be taught, they figure things out. In the next decade, it won’t be your qualifications that future-proof you. It’ll be your curiosity.

Final thought:

We don’t win by beating the machines in a Terminator style movie. We win by being more human in the way that at times, not many people valued, more aware, more adaptable, more emotionally in tune.

Those aren’t soft skills.

They’re the hard skills of the future.

➡️ If you’re building a career that lasts, follow the series on emotional intelligence, strategy, and mindset (link in bio).

The Real Cost of AI in Design: A Personal Reflection on Creativity, Freelancers and Efficiency

We recently had a small internal design project come up, something simple that we’d normally outsource to a freelance graphic designer. Instead, we opted to try an AI design tool, specifically Picsart AI. For a one-off monthly sub, we completed the work ourselves very quickly, efficiently and at a fraction of the cost.

From a business productivity standpoint, it made sense. Using this tool was easy and did save time and budget. But I couldn’t help feeling guilty... The work directly went to AI and not the Designer, a real person that is probably relying on that income and I facilitated it. Now multiply this scenario across companies and industries all over...

AI sure is revolutionising workflows and opening up access to tools that were once out of reach and sure I think that’s amazing. But as we move forward, we need to stay conscious of the ethical side of AI. Is it just about what AI can do, or is it about what we lose when we stop choosing people. Is the human worker an endangered species?

This isn’t an anti-AI message. I use it every day and I’m excited by what’s possible. But I believe in responsible AI use and that includes thinking about the humans on the other side of the automation.

Can creativity remain human, even as the tools evolve? What do you think?