Can AI do what humans can do?

This week I wrote back and forth with ChatGPT again. The more people talk about the possibilities of artificial intelligence the more important the question becomes for me:

How do we actually measure the benefits of AI?

I'm critical of AI and don't want to measure its benefits by how much human labor it can replace. But by how well it supports human abilities and interests (!).

In counselling situations, I see:

AI can structure information, broaden perspectives, make patterns visible, formulate hypotheses and propose new solutions. It can make enormous amounts of knowledge available and help to penetrate complex issues more quickly.

That's super and a great added value for the quality of my work.

But isn't every suggestion from an AI only as helpful as my ability to use my human discernment capability in certain situations?

Not every AI answer fits the situation. Not every recommendation can perceive the dynamics between the parties involved, as I do. Not every logically coherent solution leads to a result that feels right and consistent for humans.

In general: coherence is the trump card 💯
That's why something remains essential for me in coaching and consulting that no AI can replace:

Reading people, spaces, situations.

When I work with CEOs and leadership teams, I hear what is not said but also what is not spoken. I can tell from the tone of voice, choice of words, looks, body language how influence and responsibility are really distributed. I notice tensions that no one names. I perceive where uncertainty is hidden behind determination. I recognize unconscious motives, unredeemed beliefs and pattern repetitions that run through conversations and decisions.

And it is often precisely these aspects that decisively advance the development of suitable solutions,
because it picks people up emotionally and from their unspoken or unconscious motivation.

AI can provide clues here.

But it cannot feel how the 'indoor climate' changes when a sensitive topic is touched. It cannot recognize when approval is genuine and when it arises from pressure to conform. She cannot grasp what story lies behind a silence or what dynamics are currently unfolding between two people.

This is precisely why the human being remains the criterion. It is not human work that has to be measured against the possibilities of AI. The usefulness of AI is measured by whether it expands human perception, human judgment, and human responsibility.

The decisive competence of the future will be to recognize where AI is helpful - and where human experience, intuition, empathy and judgment remain indispensable.

AI can create opportunities, yes. But people decide which of them get meaning.

#SelminsLeadershipDiaries #ReadingTheRoom