There has been so much talk about the rise of Artificial Intelligence and Robots, and how these machines will one day take over our jobs, our lives and our world.

But how much of this will actually come true? Will artificial intelligence and robots really take over EVERYTHING – including our lives, our thoughts and our world?

 

I’ve been thinking about this for a while. And here’s what I think:

The rise of artificial intelligence & robots is inevitable. Look around us and you will realise that we are already surrounded by technology. Our devices are getting smaller and they are also getting smarter.

What used to fill an entire room (full of vacuum tubes) can now fit snugly in our pockets and on our wrists. In fact, the devices we have now in our pockets and on our wrists have processing and computing power that far exceeds those vacuum tube machines back in the 1950’s.

And these technologies will continue to revolutionise. Processing power will continue to increase and eventually computers and machines will replace many of the processes we now do and many jobs will be replaced. Some folks have gone as far as to predict a world run by machines and humans being subjugated as pawns on a human chessboard.

I can’t predict what will happen in 100 years from now. But what I can tell you is this: artificial intelligence and robots will not be able to completely replace the “human” in Human Beings. As far as I can see, human emotions cannot be encoded – at least not just yet. Human relationships cannot be reduced to a string of computer code.

human emotions cannot be encoded

A machine could replace an accountant – because accounts are based on fixed rules. A machine could replace an IT Programmer – because programming is also based on fixed rules. However a machine cannot replace human emotions, because human emotions cannot be encoded. Feelings cannot be encoded. Machines can’t feel. Machines do not have a conscience (well, some may argue that some humans too have no conscience, but that is beyond the scope of this article!).

Machines may be able to replicate the REACTIONS to emotions, but they can never ever feel the emotions that humans can. The range of emotions that a human being can experience is so complex that no machines will be able to replicate them.

 

What Can We Do?

So what am I alluding to?

If you are a HR Practitioner, it would do well for you to go back to BASICS – and put the “Human” back into Human Resources. Learn to engage your colleagues on a “human” level. Put the emotions and relationships back into your interactions with your colleagues. Step beyond the policies, rules and guidelines that plague our organisations today. In other words, put the HUMAN back into Human Resources.

Put the emotions and relationships back into your interactions with your colleagues. Step beyond the policies, rules and guidelines that plague our organisations today.

The same applies to the rest of us homo-sapiens. Put the human back into all our relationships and all our interactions. Whether you are in sales, marketing or education, we should all work at putting the human back into all our relationships and interactions.

Because if we don’t, we may one day run the risk of permanently losing the “human” side of our being.

 

NOTE: This is an opinion piece. You are free to agree or disagree with what I have written. And if you disagree, my only request is that you disagree like a human – with sensitivity.

 

About Steven Lock

Steven Lock is the Founder of FutureTHINK! Training & Consultancy LLP. He is a Facilitator, Trainer, Author and a Leadership Coach. Steven brings with him 20 years of corporate experience.

Steven is passionate about helping organisations transform their teams into high performing teams. He does that by first helping organisations identify and hire the right people, and then training their leaders and managers on how to manage and lead their people to achieve peak performance consistently.

Steven is the developer of The CAAP® High Performance Model. The model focuses on Culture (cultural fit), Attitude, Aptitude and Personality dimensions of their employees and job candidates. It is a highly practical, effective and proven approach.

Steven believes that for organizations to be truly successful and perform at their highest levels, they need to shift their mind-sets to having the RIGHT people on-board – and not necessarily the best or the brightest.

Steven is the author of two books:

• “Hiring for Performance: The CAAP® Model to Hiring and Building High-Performance Teams.”
• “The Right Talent: The Agility-Focused Interviewing Approach™ to Hiring the Right Candidate Every Time.”

He is the developer of The Leadership STYLE Report™ that is based on Dr. Daniel Goleman’s research on leadership styles.

Steven has been interviewed twice on MediaCorp’s live radio show The Breakfast Club on 938FM, and has contributed numerous articles to Singapore Business Review, ST Recruit, SHRI Human Capital, LinkedIn and other publications.

His comment on Team Collaboration has been quoted in the Harvard Business Review OnPoint Magazine.

Steven is certified in MBTI® (Step I & II) & DiSC® Personality instruments.