In the age of AI, it's our human traits that will help us thrive

AI has enormous potential, but don't discount its limitations. Learning from experiences and tapping relationships give humans an edge.

- Carol Soon

In English writer Ian McEwan's Machines Like Me, Adam is a robot equipped with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) purchased by the protagonist, Charlie. Adam is able to manage huge volumes of household chores and Charlie's investment ventures at great speed, without compromising on the quality. He is also polite and is never tired.

However, Adam operates in a world of black and white, based on rules and parameters set by his developers.

He is incapable of processing nuances, different contexts and navigating dilemmas that are part and parcel of human life.

Published in 2019, McEwan's masterful writing is imaginative and prescient. Today, AI is part of every aspect of our lives, from learning and working, to socializing, healthcare and therapy.

While the benefits and opportunities that AI has brought are generally recognized, there are also fears about its impact on society — particularly on how it could be displacing humans.

The article, "Why today's graduates are screwed," published recently in The Economist, highlighted this trend.

That said, AI has already entrenched itself in our lives.

At an OpenAI forum in June, LinkedIn's chief economist Karin Kimbrough spoke about the increased demand among employers for candidates with AI literacy and skills.

When asked how graduates entering the job market should prepare themselves, she said it is critical to use AI to augment soft skills.

But while AI can help, what people really need is to tap and develop the human traits that set them apart from AI technologies like Adam.

HUMANS WORK WITH THE UNSEEN AND THE UNHEARD

Despite its enormous potential, AI technology has weaknesses and limitations. We know by now how AI chatbots are trained. They are trained on data lakes, essentially what's out there in the form of text, images, videos and more. These include music, art and published books.