By Prof. Dr. Anabel Ternès von Hattburg
Presented at AIMS London 2025
Why the Future Needs More Humanity – Not Less
The Age of AI Needs More Human
According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report (2025), by the year 2027, nearly 44% of core skills required in the workforce will have changed. What’s most striking is not just the volume of this shift, but the direction it takes: most of these emerging skills are profoundly human-centered. Analytical thinking, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and resilience top the list. As technology becomes more capable, more responsive, more “intelligent,” what becomes irreplaceable is not our efficiency—but our essence.
I remember a mentorship session I once led with a promising young developer—bright, technically brilliant, armed with every certification imaginable. As we talked about his goals, he paused, looked down, and quietly admitted:
“I can write perfect code. But I don’t know how to lead a team.”
We began rewriting his professional roadmap right then—not with a list of new technical proficiencies, but with one word: empathy. We practiced active listening. Conflict resolution. The art of giving feedback that empowers rather than discourages. We reframed leadership not as control, but as connection.
Culture begins with how we listen. Skills begin with how we show up.
In a world that increasingly prizes artificial intelligence, your humanity is not a soft skill. It is your greatest competitive edge. Machines can replicate knowledge. Humans radiate purpose. The leaders of tomorrow will not be those who out-code the machines—but those who out-connect the noise.
The Missing Digital Link
The explosion of digital tools has created a paradox: more data, less clarity. According to research from MIT’s Sloan Management Review, over 70% of employees report feeling overwhelmed by the amount of digital information they receive daily, often lacking the internal filters and judgment needed to process it meaningfully.
At a recent conference, I asked a room full of senior executives a deceptively simple question: “When was the last time you paused before answering a notification?” The room fell silent. Some smiled uncomfortably. A few looked at their phones reflexively. But no one could remember the last time they truly paused.
That silence was telling.
In a world obsessed with immediacy, we’ve traded reflection for reaction. But digital wisdom begins in the pause. In that space between stimulus and response lies our power to choose wisely, not just react quickly.
We are surrounded by devices that answer questions before we even finish asking them—but what we need most now are better questions, not just faster answers. Wisdom isn’t data. It’s direction. It’s the ability to discern, to delay gratification, to decide with a longer arc of consequence in mind.
Competence Is Connection
Perhaps the most compelling evidence for the power of human-centered competence comes not from a technology lab, but from an 85-year-long study by Harvard on adult development. The conclusion? The #1 predictor of lifelong success and happiness is not intelligence or income—it’s the quality of our relationships.
Not long ago, a young professional came to me in tears. She whispered, “AI knows everything. Sometimes I feel like I’m not enough.”
I took her hand and said, “AI has knowledge. But you have presence. And that changes rooms.”
She smiled through her tears. And in that moment, I watched her begin to reclaim the confidence that no algorithm could ever offer.
We are wired for connection. Algorithms can calculate sentiment. They can simulate empathy. But they cannot replace the electric, unrepeatable power of being truly seen, or the healing that comes when someone feels deeply heard.
Competence in the future won’t just be about what you know, but about how you relate. Connection is the currency of leadership.
Train for Tomorrow – Lead with Today
According to McKinsey’s Global AI Survey, 87% of organizations expect AI to significantly disrupt their workforce in the coming years. And yet, only 38% are actively preparing their employees for this change—especially in the so-called “soft” skills that will soon become core.
In one of my workshops, a 58-year-old HR leader spoke with striking vulnerability. “I’m scared to become irrelevant,”she said. Her voice shook slightly.
We paired her with a group of Gen Z colleagues and co-designed a reverse mentoring program, where digital fluency met seasoned insight. They exchanged playlists, platforms, and perspectives. She brought wisdom. They brought energy. And in that exchange, they all grew.
Her biggest strength? Curiosity. She didn’t cling to what she already knew—she leaned in to what she could still learn.
Relevance isn’t about age. It’s about attitude. Stay curious. Stay courageous. Stay connected.
Be the Human the Future Needs
The call to action is now loud and global. UNESCO’s recent report, Education for Human Flourishing, urges education systems worldwide to place humanistic values at the core of AI development, ensuring that ethical frameworks and empathy guide the technologies we create.
One night, while I was tucking in my son, he asked, “Mama, will robots be my teachers one day?”
I smiled and said, “Maybe. But your heart will always be your best guide.”
That’s the truth we all need to remember.
The world doesn’t just need more tech experts—it needs wise humans. Humans who lead with compassion. Who create with conscience. Who dare to pause, to question, to connect.
And that human is you.
In Conclusion
We are standing at a crossroad. One path leads to acceleration without reflection. The other leads to integration—with humanity at its center.
In the age of AI, don’t strive to be more machine-like. Strive to be more human. That’s not your weakness. That’s your power.
Let’s build not just a smarter future, but a wiser one.
Let’s lead it—together.
