Emotional Intelligence (EQ/EI) in the times of AI

A few decades ago, one would read about the futuristic Artificial Intelligence and robots that would do everything for us, from chores at home to managing industrial machinery. While this was marvelled at, it did make one a little apprehensive about it. Well, we are now living in that space of rapid technological advancement where AI and machine learning have the capability of turning our imaginations into reality. Apart from voice recognizing virtual assistants, live language translations, and self-driving and parking cars, AI today has been used to develop “Robot Chefs,” where robots have been trained to taste the food at different stages of the chewing progression to evaluate whether the food is adequately seasoned. Scientists have developed Electronic Skin or the “smart skin,” which is very similar to human skin. It can simultaneously sense pressure, humidity, and temperature and produce electronic signals. These have opened a revolutionary path for more sensitive robots or intelligent prosthetic devices. The list of everyday AI advancements has become endless and, at the same time, scary as AI is either replicating everything human or, in many cases doing it better than human beings! 

Every job follows a typical pattern or roadmap, be it a software engineer, a doctor, or a mechanic. The starting point is always to attain data, analyze it, interpret it, plan a course of action, and finally implement it. While all these professions are highly skilled and in demand, it won’t be long till AI and machine learning will be outdoing humans. The fact is that, unlike an AI-based mechanism, human beings will always have their limitations and biases and will never be able to keep up with all the latest activities or publications in their respective fields. They cannot attain complete knowledge in their area of expertise and can only depend on a limited number of their own experiences in making all decisions. This makes the younger generations trust machines over humans with critical decisions such as managing their health and finances. IBM’s Watson Health is one of the best examples of assessing medical cases superiorly based on its natural language, hypothesis generation, and evidence-based learning capabilities. 

 

Why is Emotional Intelligence so important?

While all these artificial intelligence capabilities are encouraging with respect to the tech revolution, they definitely feel like a threat to many of our career tracks. Although an AI-enabled machine can make a better diagnosis or solve complex business matters by providing apposite actions, it is still human beings that best suit situations requiring actions from a leadership team, evading politically uncomfortable conditions, and recognizing the key individuals in an organization to lead the change for the better. People with high EQ levels are known to be more creative and innovative. Organizations with high EQ rates result in effective communication, making it easier to forge ahead with a shared company vision. Human skills or capabilities like empathy, social intelligence, and persuasion become valuable. 

“Companies are increasingly aware of the need for EI skills but are not moving quickly enough to invest in them,” says Claudia Crummenerl, Global Practice Lead, People and Organization at Capgemini Invent. Organizations need to ingrain EI into their culture, employees, and practices at every level. This is one of the most necessary modifications needed in companies today, and as we advance, EI will be critical to the success of businesses.  

In the future, repetitive or mundane tasks will be done by automated technologies. Humans will be more focused on developing better emotional intelligence skills like self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management, etc. Human-based skills will become a priority, especially concerning training and education, and be considered essential for success in the years to come. Emotional intelligence will be the critical differentiator between AI and human beings. No matter how far technologies like AI and machine learning progress, the products and services are for human beings, and so the human skills and the dynamics of emotions will always be valued. We must embrace this revolution yet focus on building on our emotional intelligence and work on our weaknesses.