Could AI make human skills more valuable than ever?

What if the rise of artificial intelligence doesn’t make people less important at work, but more? While much of the discussion around AI focuses on what the technology might replace, Per Westin, Head of AI and Advanced Analytics at TRATON Financial Services, sees another possibility.

Through his work with AI solutions, he has seen how the technology is changing the way people work. Rather than making human skills less relevant, he believes AI could make communication, critical thinking and personal connections more valuable. But what does this mean for the future of work, and for the next generation entering it?

What has surprised you the most about AI since you started working with it?

What surprised me the most is how differently people respond to AI models. When we develop solutions, we discover that people prefer different ways of reasoning and presenting arguments. Some prefer a direct approach, while others respond better to a different tone. Initially, we focused on whether the AI followed the logic and presented facts correctly. We hadn’t considered how much the way it communicates matters to users. That was a completely new problem for us. 

What do you think people today are most wrong about when imagining a future with AI?

I think people believe AI is smart. But AI needs good, carefully selected facts to deliver value. Without reliable data, its reasoning might sound convincing while being completely wrong. You really need to pay attention to which data sources it uses.

I also don’t think AI will simply replace jobs. New positions are emerging that didn’t exist before, and I’ve even seen that change firsthand in our organisation. 

How has working with AI changed your expectations for the future?

I think people-to-people skills will become more important. We’re already seeing how AI can take away repetitive work and boring administrative tasks.

If organisations are smart, they’ll use the technology to handle those tasks and give employees more time to meet customers. Instead of customers talking directly to AI, they’ll talk to a human who uses AI to serve them. I think people who are good with both AI and other people will benefit the most. 

What concerns you most about how AI might develop or be used?

AI is very good at putting forward arguments, and it can sound extremely convincing. It can also mimic people, which makes fraud a real concern. 

Organisations are responsible för the AI tools they use and how they operate them. But when criminals use AI to scam people, the criminals are responsible for that.

Has anything you’ve experienced at work made you reconsider your views on AI?

What has surprised me is the speed of adoption. I thought it would take organisations quite some time to start using AI, but the change is happening much faster than I’ve ever seen before. 

Once employees understand how AI can make their daily work easier, they quickly adapt the way they work. It’s a combination of companies introducing the tools and employees discovering how to use them in ways that suit their own needs. 

How do you think AI will change the opportunities available to young people entering the workforce?

If young people understand how AI works, it can help them overcome their lack of experience. AI can provide information they might otherwise be missing, allowing them to compete with older, more experienced people much sooner. 

If they combine that ability with good people skills, I think they’ll have a really strong advantage.

Which opportunities or challenges do you think students are overlooking?

I think students are overlooking the opportunity to use AI as a personal assistant. They could tailor an AI agent to their own needs and use it for guidance in their studies, career opportunities and complicated tasks.

Students really need to understand how to use AI intelligently and make it work for them. They need to stay on top of technology. 

What skills do you think will become more valuable as AI takes over more tasks?

Two things: critical thinking and communication. Those people-to-people skills, combined with critical thinking, will be extremely important. But I also think students should focus on developing deep knowledge in their own field. Being a specialist helps you think critically about your work. Alongside that expertise, you should develop strong communication and people-management skills. 

If you could change one thing about how society is preparing for AI, what would it be?

I’d want people to understand both what AI can do and where its limitations lie. AI cannot do your dishes or clean your apartment. It has clear limitations. 

The media sometimes presents AI almost as an entity with a mind of its own, thinking independently. But it doesn’t. It’s following instructions, even when those instructions are presented in a way that looks like reasoning. People need to be educated about AI so they understand how to use it to their advantage without overestimating its capabilities. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.