A Futurist’s Guide to Curing AI Anxiety
by Lisa Bodell for Forbes
Does anyone else feel like we’re playing a high-stakes game of catch-up when it comes to staying on top of AI in the workplace? A study from the American Psychological Association found that close to two out of five workers reported worrying about AI taking some or all of their job duties. Our job isn’t staying ahead of AI, but instead learning how to leverage the things that it can’t– and likely won’t– be able to replicate.
Job-specific skills are important, but to truly shine in the workplace, power skills are essential (by the way, who still calls them soft skills?). These are the skills that make us human: curiosity, agility, resilience, nuanced feedback, and creative problem-solving. AI can quickly analyze data, improve processes and perform tasks; but it’s humans that take it further by applying the nuance, cultural context, and timing to make it work better.
To alleviate anxiety about AI taking our jobs, our effort should lie in sharpening the skills that make us inherently human. There may be a day when an AI coworker can read social context just as quickly and sift through a catalog of comebacks. But until then, the future belongs to those who can navigate complexity by communicating effectively, leveraging creativity, and staying curious.