I wasn’t going to be left behind. When social media platforms became popular and essential in the early 2000s, I hesitated. I had attended the Women in Technology International conference over a decade ago but still couldn’t grasp what they meant by “this Al technology.”
But three years ago, I finally got it. Listening to podcasts and reading articles about Al, I noticed two distinct messages: awe-inspiring technological advantages and extreme warnings. This time, I told myself, “Pay attention,” because it became clear that Al would change everything.
Al Origins & Rising Questions
John McCarthy is known as the “Father of Artificial Intelligence.” He coined the term in 1955 and organized the 1956 Dartmouth Conference, which marked the official birth of AI as a field of study.
Fast-forward to 2023, and Geoffry Hinton, known as the “godfather of Al,” is sounding the alarm. Al’s roots go back even further; the word “automaton” comes from ancient Greek and means “acting of one’s own will.” As far back as 400 BCE, humans imagined machines that could function independently.
If you are curious, visit Tableau’s History of Al. It’s a fascinating timeline that maps the journey from automatons to intelligent algorithms. In this article, I want to explore a pressing concern: Will Al replace my work and your work, and even more importantly, will it make genuine human connection obsolete?
What Machines Can’t Mimic
Determined not to be intimidated by Al, I took my questions to Chatgpt. As a coach and public speaker, I asked: Will my work become extinct? What human qualities will still matter in five to 10 years from now, qualities Al can’t replace? I asked Al itself, “What is the power of human magic in a world of Al?”
Here’s what I began to reflect on:
- Al can automate tasks. Does it understand why they matter?
- Al can provide data. Can it offer wisdom behind it?
- Al can emulate empathy, but can it truly feel it?
- Al can speak fluently, but is there a soul in its voice?
I have concluded that our edge over Al is our human magic. What machines can’t replace are the depths of our lived experiences, senses, intuition, hearts and souls.
Your Voice is Your Super Power
Our voices, stories and lived experiences can be analyzed, sorted and echoed by machines that approximate our thoughts or feelings. But even though CGI has advanced from early “Star Trek” episodes to “Avatar,” we still recognize that it’s artificial.
Al may replicate our words and images, but can it create a real connection? Can it develop rapport, affinity, and trust? I don’t believe so.
Today, avatars schedule our meetings, and Al bots evaluate us for fit before meeting. Small business owners ask, “Is live networking still worth it?”
That’s why I am speaking to retreats and conferences, called “The Power of Human Magic in the Age of Al,” this year at Mount Madonna’s Women Who Are Up to Something Retreat (tinyurl.com/33v49r68) and the other at Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business Conference (tinyurl.com/3m72fbzd).
Whether at a Chamber lunch, business conference or online meetup, every gathering becomes an opportunity to express who you are and why you do what you do. When you give a speech or have a meaningful conversation, your voice becomes your calling card. Your pauses, tone, rhythm, and delivery are all uniquely yours. Your voice is your human superpower.
Here’s another edge: the ability to give meaning to tasks. Al can output data at warp speed, but does it understand why it matters in real life? Does it grasp the purpose behind the numbers?
Leading With Heart in the Digital Age
Al can simulate human interaction, but its feedback is logical, calculated and drawn from massive data pools. What it can’t do is feel the consequences of the words it delivers. If we lead with our human magic, those innate traits like empathy, presence and deep listening, we bring heart to our interactions.
And, let’s be honest: machines don’t have hearts. Our edge is, and will always be, our human magic.
Your voice, stories and lived experiences are your tools of connection, and I want to teach others to cultivate the same for us and our future children. That’s not just my niche; it’s my mission. (Resources: Chatgpt, Tableau.com and Forbes.)
Janet Janssen is a Life in Business and Speaker Coach. To learn more about “The Power of Human Magic in the Age of Al” or other events, visit janetjanssen.com/events. For future workshops or Ice Breaker Leadership games, email ja***@**********en.com.
