AI has brains (or chips), but where’s the heart?
AI is taking over, right? Robots are writing our code, algorithms are diagnosing diseases, and soon enough, they’ll probably be writing our best-selling novels (though we are still waiting for a marvel created by AI). It can crunch numbers faster than we can blink, write better than most authors, and compose raps and even symphonies. But can it truly understand why a client got fuious and stormed out of the meeting, or why that brilliant engineer is suddenly looking for a new job? Naa… Over the last more than 20 years in human resources, I’ve seen my situations involving emotions: the heart breaking job interviews, layoffs, the office romances gone south, important quotes being mentioned in an acquisition meeting meaning something different from what is being said in literal sense, those passive-aggressive email wars that could rival the WWII. And let me tell you, AI has not been able to figure it out yet. It can predict trends, and even mimic human emotions; but mimicry isn’t the same as true feeling. We need that magnificent, messy, and utterly irreplaceable human superpower to figure it out, i.e. Emotional Intelligence.
Let’s take empathy, for example. AI can analyze social media trends to predict public sentiment, but can it truly feel another person’s pain? Can it offer a genuine shoulder to cry on after a bad breakup, or understand the deep-seated fear of failure that’s crippling a talented employee? All of us have been into a situation chatting to a chat bots responding to us with, ‘sorry, I don’t catch that’, n we know the frustration. Or imagine you’re an employee struggling with burnout, and instead of a real manager, an AI sends you a message, “Take a break. Productivity is down 32%.”
You can’t algorithm Empathy, I don’t think so.
Empathy is the bedrock of leadership. When someone shares their struggles, you don’t need a data set, you just need to listen, understand, and respond with genuine care. You might not have a solution most of the times. On the other side, AI can’t grasp the nuances of human pain, joy, or frustration.
AI thrives on logic. But what about other crucial soft skills like negotiation, persuasion, building rapport — these are the bread & butter of human interaction. Certainly it can analyze data and predict outcomes, but it can’t charm a skeptical client, build trust with a hesitant team, or navigate the delicate dance of office politics. As we know, at times the best decisions aren’t the most logical ones. They’re the ones born from intuition, from understanding the unspoken nuances of a situation, from reading the room and between the lines. The ones that are a sum of gut + data (I love this analogy of my ex-CHRO from Viacom18, Abhinav Chopra). And that, is where AI falls flat on its silicon face.
Let’s talk crisis management. Imagine your company just had a major data breach. Who would you rather have addressing employees and customers — a compassionate leader with EI or a robot reading scripted apologies?
Remember the infamous airlines debacle when a passenger was dragged off a plane? Their initial response was robotic, cold, and void of empathy. The backlash was swift and brutal. Compare that to how a coffee retail giant handled racial bias training after an incident in one of their stores. Their leadership acknowledged the issue, apologized sincerely, and took meaningful steps to rebuild trust. That’s the power of EI in action.
AI can help with damage control, but only humans can rebuild relationships.
And now my most favorite. AI doesn’t get sarcasm. Connection comes from humor, shared experiences, and yes, the occasional eye-roll-worthy joke.
AI is a powerful tool, no doubt. But when it comes to navigating the complexities of human interaction, understanding the emotional undercurrents of a situation, and building genuine connections, the human touch still reigns supreme. So, the next time you’re facing a challenging situation, don’t just rely on the cold, hard logic of AI. Trust your gut, tap into your emotional intelligence, and remember that sometimes, the most human thing you can do is simply connect with another human being.
Note: I personally believe that the two can and will coexist very well. AI can handle the mundane tasks like analyzing trends, scheduling meetings, or sending reminders about deadlines. But when it comes to building trust, motivating teams, and navigating the messy, beautiful complexities of human emotion, EI will always take the lead.
At the end, being human is about having a heart. Technology can be smart, but only humans can be wise.
I call it ‘the human advantage’, i.e. Data + Gut + Wisdom
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