Creativity and creative thinking have long been considered uniquely human qualities that machines could never successfully replicate. For a professional like me who “thinks for a living,” this comforting notion has always provided a tenuous sense of job security. However, a new force—generative AI—is shaking my cozy assumption.
Paul Roetzer, founder and CEO of the Marketing AI Institute, remarked at a conference I recently attended, “There are about 100 million full-time knowledge workers in the U.S. These are people who think for a living. And there is a high probability that millions of jobs will be significantly affected in the next few years.”
His words rang like an alarm bell in my head. My reaction was all too human—I panicked. Should I brush up on my carpentry skills? I even imagined myself on the Williamsburg Bridge in New York City, practicing the saxophone like my musical hero, Sonny Rollins, during his famous bridge years.
Paul is not alone in his view. Business leaders, tech experts, and the media are heralding AI’s transformative impact on nearly every aspect of life. Its potential is irresistible for investors and business leaders who, in their quest for efficiency and competitive advantage, are placing huge bets on the technology.
But—let’s pause a moment. There must be areas in life that AI simply can’t invade. Humans have power, do we not?
The Power of Emotional Intelligence
While AI can make us more efficient and productive, it lacks emotional intelligence (EI)—the uniquely human capacity to feel, understand, interpret, and regulate emotions.
The importance of emotional intelligence is evident every day in the business world. EI enables us to connect, empathize, and collaborate effectively. It shapes interactions, enhances leadership capabilities, drives team success, and builds loyalty. The best leaders I’ve met understand that vision and strategy are realized through people and their beliefs.
The Power of Persuasion
You may have an incredible product, but if you can’t convey its value to people effectively, it risks being overlooked. The success of any offering hinges on the company telling its story. People must connect with a product emotionally, engaging beyond features and functionalities to access aspirational and psychological motivations.
This “perceptual meaning” is crucial to creating intangible value—what we may commonly refer to as a “brand.” By framing how we want people to perceive, experience, and value a product, we form a bond that builds preference, trust, and ultimately loyalty.
Storytelling is a powerful communication tool for this reason. It guides people on a journey, using metaphors, anecdotes, and facts to create an emotional connection with the audience, making ideas resonate and inspire.
The Power of Intuition
In a 1980s interview with Rolling Stone, John Lennon admitted that at least half of his songs were accidents. Keith Richards famously dreamt up the iconic riff for “Satisfaction,” and Otis Redding’s whistling in “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” was an impromptu fill for unfinished lyrics. Creative intuition is that inner voice that transforms randomness into something meaningful, a spark that sets an idea on fire.
Albert Einstein is widely quoted as saying, “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant.” This, coming from a scientist synonymous with rationality, is profound. In fact, Einstein spent years proving mathematically what he had initially intuited: the general theory of relativity.
The premium on creativity is increasing. According to a recent survey by Canva, 75% of hiring managers consider creativity one of the top three most desired skills, along with problem-solving and communication.
The Future
AI is already embedded in many areas of life. Industries across the board are harnessing its power to generate new value and create a competitive edge. Its impact will continue to profoundly alter the way we work and live. However, humans are not machines. We are emotional beings capable of imagining, creating, and intuiting entirely new realities.
As neuroscientist Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor has noted, “Most of us think of ourselves as thinking creatures that feel, but we are actually feeling creatures that think.” There is salvation in those words. As AI adoption accelerates, let’s ensure it enhances rather than overshadows what it means to be feeling creatures who think. Meanwhile, I’ll be working on my saxophone skills.