Everywhere I look, people are talking about the dramatic transformation we are about to undertake. As AI penetrates our daily lives, it's changing the way we live in ways that we can't imagine or predict. It's exciting and scary at the same time, and it's happening faster than we can take it in.
One question keeps rising to the surface: What is the value of being human if AI can do everything better?
I believe I know the answer! Well, at least I have my view. :-) AI will never be human; therefore, it can never replace the need for human connection.
The Miracle of Being Human
Humans are a unique and wonderful species on our planet. We are the most complex system ever designed (or one of them—all living creatures are amazingly complex).
Most scientists try to reduce us to chemical reactions, but we are so much more. Our bodies are an intricate ecosystem of trillions of organisms—bacteria, viruses, fungi—all working in symbiosis. No one fully understands how these systems come together to make us living, breathing beings.
Beyond that, we think, feel, and create. We have consciousness. Many of us believe in a soul—something that makes each of us unique and extends beyond the physical.
Why AI Isn't (and Can't Be) Human
AI is a machine built by humans based on the data we provide it, so on the one hand, it's derivative and only as good as the information we provide it. The worry is that it will grow and learn and eventually reach a state of awareness or consciousness, making it a kind of "new species."
The problem is that AI is not alive. It's not a living, breathing, growing thing. In the Diary of a CEO podcast with Simon Sinek, he talked about how "AI is fake." As of now, it's still possible to spot AI-generated content, and there is one reason why: it lacks humanness.
I recently spoke with an AI video producer about how hard he has to work to get the AI actors in his films to show emotion. He's making progress, and I'm sure, at some point, it will be hard to tell the difference. Even if that happens, AI is not alive: It doesn't have biology, physiology, pheromones, intuition, or a soul.
The Enduring Value of Handmade
No matter how advanced technology becomes, there's something people will always crave: things made by hand.
Whether it's a handmade quilt, a piece of pottery, a home-cooked meal, or a handwritten note—human-made items carry an emotional resonance that machines simply can't replicate. Why? Because they carry imperfection, intention, and story.
Handmade things take time. They involve effort, skill, and often love. You can feel the presence of the person who created them. Every brushstroke, stitch, or uneven edge tells you that a human was here.
That's the irony of our AI-powered age. As automation grows, the value of handmade increases. Because handmade represents everything AI doesn't: soul, presence, and lived experience.
We don't cherish handmade things because they're perfect. We cherish them because they're not. They remind us what it means to be human.
The Responsibility of Thoughtful Integration
There's no question AI will transform how we interact with the world and each other. It may surpass humans in speed, logic, or recall, but it will never surpass us in humanity—because it is not human.
Still, AI will act human-like, which makes it powerful—and dangerous.
Because it’s built by humans, it’s bound to reflect not just our brilliance, but also our flaws—our shadow selves filled with mistakes, blind spots, and moral complexity.
If AI has the potential to do great good, it also has the potential to do great harm.
The future will include AI, and it will be awesome and terrible. That’s why we must move forward with care. Thoughtful design and strong safeguards are essential to minimize risk and maximize the benefits AI can offer.
But no matter how far technology goes, one thing will remain constant: our need for one another.
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