Artificial Intelligence: Our Humanity is Our Greatest Differentiator

AI is changing the leadership landscape.

It could be easy to imagine a future where we are outshined by AI. 

In this dystopian nightmare, we imagine the AI is smarter and faster than humans, immune to burnout, HR violations, and performance improvement plans. AI isn’t impacted by mass layoffs or the mental health crisis created when employees are treated as resources rather than human beings.

However, this scenario doesn’t account for our competitive advantage and greatest differentiator. 

The value and advantage we offer is our humanity. 

This includes our creativity, our purpose, and our ability to foster connection and belonging.

Technology is a tool that we can use to make things happen but we must remember that we’re humans first.

With that, comes strengths and attributes that only humans can bring to the table.

Take fire, for example. It began as a technology used by humans to gather for storytelling, safety, shelter, and community building. However, fire has also been used to wage war, and destroy all that we have. And, it will always exist regardless of what changes in our future.

AI is a technology used by humans for good and bad. While this is the reality for the foreseeable future, it’s our responsibility to lean into our humanity as much as possible when navigating this newly created space. 

As humans, we all desire to see each other and be seen by one another. We must have compassion towards others and know that we may never fully understand what another person is experiencing. 

Our compassion, empathy, and purpose - these are the human traits that AI may never be able to replicate.

In the face of AI technology that is changing business and leadership as we know it, these traits are not downfalls, but instead, our greatest strengths. 

AI was created by humans. If we don’t take charge and use our human advantages to adapt to this new landscape, we are only hurting ourselves.

For more on tapping into your true potential as a leader, subscribe to The Leadership Mind Podcast on YouTube and stay tuned for announcements about my new book coming soon!