What do you have that AI doesn’t? This is an important question, considering 2.7 million¹ jobs could be lost to automation by 2035, with the retail, transport, and administrative sectors being hit hardest. The impact of AI and automation is troubling 59% of Australians, particularly younger people aged 18-34, who worry that jobs are at risk.

So, how do you reskill and protect yourself? Despite the rise of AI, soft skills like problem-solving, creativity, and adaptability are crucial for thriving in the modern workplace. In this blog, we explore the growing importance of soft skills in the AI era and why these skills are essential for personal and professional development.

AI in the Workforce

Automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping the way we work, resulting in a significant transformation of job roles. Increasingly, AI is taking on the responsibility of handling repetitive tasks, replacing the need for human intervention in these areas. But human judgment and creativity still hold irreplaceable value in many aspects of work. So, human-machine collaboration is taking place, making human-specific skills and soft skills training so vital in modern workplaces. So, to embrace this innovative technology, it is important to enhance and complement the capabilities of AI.

What Are Soft Skills?

Soft skills are personal attributes, behaviours, and interpersonal skills that allow you to communicate, collaborate, and work effectively with others. Unlike technical or hard skills, which are specific to a job or industry, soft skills are more about how you work, interact with others, and manage various situations. Soft skills training can include developing skills in emotional intelligence, problem-solving, adaptability, teamwork, leadership, communication, time management, and conflict resolution.

Soft skills are transferable skills crucial in almost every job and industry. They influence how well you collaborate, manage challenges, and contribute to a positive work environment. Soft skills training is essential for career success, as it helps you build relationships, promote teamwork, and lead successfully.

Why Soft Skills Are Critical in the AI Era

The following soft skills cannot be replicated by AI or automated, so soft skills training is vital to protecting the future of your work.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

AI lacks empathy, so emotional intelligence is a skill that this technology cannot imitate. As a result, humans must perform leadership, collaboration, and customer service. If you lack emotional intelligence, you learn.

Course: Certificate of Emotional Intelligence

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

AI may suggest solutions, but humans must contextually evaluate, interpret, and apply them. Humans will always be one step ahead in roles that require critical thinking and problem-solving. You can enhance your problem-solving abilities and critical thinking with soft skills training!

Course: Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

Creativity

AI can generate content or provide solutions based on data but cannot think outside the box, innovate, or connect ideas creatively. Human creativity is driven by experiences, emotions, and the ability to interpret and apply imagination in ways AI cannot replicate.

Course: Innovation & Creative Problem Solving

Negotiation

Successful negotiation depends on understanding emotions, building trust, and interpreting subtle social cues like body language and tone of voice. These are human skills that AI cannot replicate, at least not yet! AI can process data and suggest strategies but lacks the emotional intelligence and adaptability to navigate the complex human dynamics of a successful negotiation.

Course: Communicate with Influence

Leadership

Leadership is about inspiring and motivating people, managing change, and creating a shared vision. Again, these are human skills that AI cannot successfully imitate. Of course, AI can provide data-driven insights, but it lacks the empathy and emotional intelligence required to make a real connection with people. As a result, AI fails to build trust and manage teams effectively through uncertain situations or crises.

Course: Certificate of Leadership & Innovation

Interpersonal Communication

AI can process and deliver information, but it doesn’t have the nuanced understanding and emotional depth of human communication. Effective communication involves context, tone, and cultural subtleties that AI can’t fully grasp or replicate in meaningful human interactions. Building and maintaining relationships requires empathy, active listening, and emotional intelligence, which AI can’t interpret or respond to in real-time, nor can it navigate the complexities of human interactions as deeply as people.

Course: Apply Communication Strategies in the Workplace

Time Management

Time management involves personal judgement that AI cannot fully emulate, so soft skills training in this area is crucial. While AI can significantly help with scheduling and prioritising your tasks, it cannot account for human energy flow, creativity flow, or the need for flexibility and understanding in balancing personal and professional tasks.

Course: Certificate of Project Time & Cost Management

Flexibility

As humans, we’re pretty good at adapting to unexpected changes, thinking critically in new situations, and shifting our approach in the face of uncertainty. AI, on the other hand, relies on pre-programmed data and algorithms, making it less adaptable to situations requiring creative problem-solving and emotional responses.

Course: Innovation & Creative Problem Solving

The Value of Human-Centred Roles

Working in human-centred roles is smart as AI and automation become more widespread in the workplace. In particular, customer-facing roles will always need strong communicators, even in a tech-driven world. Careers in these fields include:

• Customer service
• Healthcare
• Management
• Creative Industries

 

There’s little doubt that AI impacts jobs, but the irreplaceable nature of soft skills means it cannot completely replace human roles. Instead, it’s a positive technology that can be helpful to many workplaces. If you want to protect your career, invest in soft skills training to ensure the longevity of your role.

If you want to hone your soft skills to thrive in the evolving AI-influenced workplace, contact one of your friendly Course Consultants today on 1300 762 221 or via Live Chat. Because although AI will shape the future of work, soft skills training will ensure you continue to play a leading role in your career now and in the future.