Yes, AI is becoming easier to use but that does not necessarily mean we are becoming better at using it. As AI takes on more drafting, analysis, research and problem-solving, an uncomfortable question is emerging: as to which human skills will no longer be practiced.
The advent of navigation apps, calculators and spellcheck has already shown how technology removes effort. But the trade-off becomes more complicated when the task being outsourced involves judgement, reasoning or communication.
In the workplace, employees are increasingly embracing AI to analyse a document rather than reading it closely, drafting a response rather than working through the argument, or recommending a course of action before forming their own view.
It obviously saves time, but it can also create dependency.
The debate as to whether employees should use AI is over. They should. The issue is whether organisations are being deliberate about the capabilities humans still need to retain.
Critical thinking, quality control and judgement are becoming more important as AI takes on more execution. Employees need to be able to recognise when an AI response is incomplete, inappropriate or simply wrong.
Hence, the paradox: the more capable AI becomes, the more important humans retain the skills required to supervise it.
Before adopting AI to automate workflows, managers need to decide which capabilities they are prepared to lose if people stop performing the roles for themselves. Clearly, some tasks can safely disappear but others may need to remain partly human in order to develop expertise.
Be AI-Wise
The goal should not be to protect every old task from automation. It should be to protect the human capabilities the organisation will still need when AI is doing much more of the work.
Use AI to extend human capability rather than quietly erode it.
Leadership question:
Which skills in your organisation are becoming more important because AI is doing more – and are employees still getting enough opportunity to develop them?
GAPS Professional Writing helps organisations build practical AI capability, strengthen workplace writing and redesign workflows for effective human-AI collaboration. Visit www.gapswriting.com.