Be an Artisan or Communicator

Author: Jurgen Appelo

There was a time in the music industry when obtaining a favorite record could cost someone a lot of effort. But now, with instant music available through Spotify and other music streamers, digitization has made access to individual songs ubiquitous, almost rendering them valueless. Meanwhile, live music tickets are more expensive than ever. Anyone can publish a song, but only real talent can fill a stadium.

This dynamic is not isolated to music. It’s happening in many fields as Artificial Intelligence (AI) causes a similar shift with more emphasis on human presence, connection, and craftsmanship. As AI gets better at digital tasks, we should focus on what makes us unique as humans.

“I have been reluctant to try ChatGPT. Today, I got over that reluctance. Now I understand why I was reluctant. The value of 90% of my skills just dropped to $0. The leverage of the remaining 10% went up 1000x. I need to recalibrate.”

— Kent Beck, world-famous programmer

For instance, anyone can use tech to make fancy presentations, but being a great speaker who connects with people is what really matters now. The value of making great-looking PowerPoint slides has decreased to zero, while the value of an engaging speaker is higher than ever.

AI can’t fully grasp or respond to human emotions. Jobs that need a lot of empathy, like social work or counseling, can’t be easily done by AI. These roles require a level of emotional engagement and understanding that is innately human.

Likewise, while AI can simulate creativity by generating art, music, and writing based on learned patterns, genuine creativity remains a uniquely human trait. Original ideas and art come from human experiences and emotions, something AI doesn’t have.

Finally, tasks requiring precise hand skills or adapting to new situations are challenging for robots and AI. Delicate surgery or repairing sophisticated machinery involves precision, skill, and real-time decision-making, which shows the value of human skills in complex environments where adaptability and nuanced understanding are crucial.

As AI takes over more digital work, our human qualities, like emotional connection, creativity, and physical skills, are more critical than ever. In a future world dominated by AI, our unique human traits are our distinguishing factors and our most valuable assets.

Do you want to learn more?
Check out the Behavioral Values, Collaboration Moments, Habit-Forming, Human Drives, Meaning and Purpose, and Vision of Experience patterns.