Tasks AI Just Can’t Do

My previous post on 11/22/23 – Occupations Affected by Artificial Intelligence in 2024 – may have given you a foreboding mood. This was not the intention, as every profession that comes into contact with artificial intelligence will change somewhat. The key is that much of this change has the potential to be surprisingly good if AI is used correctly.

Today we’re going to look at professions that will be hard for AI to destroy or replace, ones that could put huge points on the board if they use AI wisely. Here is a short list, by no means complete, but full of promise. This is due to their exclusive humanity, uniqueness, need for human judgment, creativity, divergent thinking, humor and empathy.

Leadership

Leadership roles require vision before anything else. AI doesn’t have it, nor can it get it or even help with it. Strategic thinking, decision-making, the ability to motivate, inspire and build teams, and the development of ethical systems are areas of strength where AI still has limitations it may never overcome.

Creative Professions

Jobs in the arts, such as musicians, writers, painters and other creatives in advertising, for example, rely heavily on human creativity, emotion and subjective interpretation, making them less susceptible to automation. Artificial intelligence may try to take over our left brain functions, but as far as our right brain is concerned, it will always be ours.

Creative problem solving

Many problems can be solved with left-handed, linear thinking. But they are not the ones who change the culture. Occupations that involve solving new and complex problems – or tantalizing opportunities – require creativity, critical thinking, holistic thinking, pattern recognition and adaptability. AI can help with data analysis and decision support, but it completely lacks the ability to generate truly innovative insights.

Health Care

Doctors, nurses, surgeons, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and other health care workers combine medical knowledge, clinical judgment, empathy, and human touch, including intuitive intuition. While AI can help and enrich diagnosis and treatment recommendations, it cannot replace the human aspect of healthcare. No way.

Research and development

Scientific research and its subsequent innovation always involve exploring the unknown, curiosity, formulating hypotheses and hunches, and continuous experimentation, all of which are based on human creativity and insight and the belief that somewhere along the line is an innovation that we may not be able to let’s see right now. Does anyone know of an AI system that works like this?

Therapists and Counselors

Providing emotional support, healing, counseling, and expert creative problem-solving—not to mention dedication above and beyond the call of duty—requires deep empathy, human connection, and an understanding of complex emotional nuances. No case for AI here.

Social work

Social workers facing diverse, unpredictable and often sudden human situations that require a high degree of emotional intelligence, adaptability and moral judgment will find AI a useful tool but never a threat.

Caregivers of the Elderly and the Disabled

As our population ages, new and uncharted needs will arise. Providing care to a larger number of people with unique needs, including companionship and assistance with daily tasks, requires empathy, patience and adaptability that AI cannot currently provide. This is one area, however, where AI will be a valuable tool.

Teaching and Training

While AI can significantly improve education through personalized learning, coaching, automated grading, effective teaching that extends beyond the classroom or calendar, it often involves building relationships with students, understanding their unique needs, and providing guidance and direction. AI cannot score a single run in this game.

Qualified Professionals

Jobs such as electricians, plumbers and craftsmen involve practical skills, adaptability to different situations, ability to imagine complex systems and detect what is happening in current systems, are challenging for artificial intelligence to approach.

One more thing…

Humans – or at least, those of us who believe in our ability to continue moving humanity onward and upward – have one other thing that AI does not: trust.