The World’s Fastest Technology Needs the World’s Slowest Skill

Human Connection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence has become one of the biggest conversations of our time. Hardly a day goes by without another announcement about what AI can now do. It writes articles, creates images, designs websites, analyses legal documents, answers complex questions and even helps diagnose diseases. Every week it seems to become faster, smarter and more capable than the week before. Like millions of others, I’ve been fascinated by watching this technology evolve, not because I fear it, but because I believe we are witnessing one of the most significant turning points in modern history.

I’ve had the privilege of living through several technological revolutions. I remember when businesses relied on handwritten notes, filing cabinets, fax machines and face-to-face meetings. Then came personal computers, email, mobile phones, the internet, websites, social media and smartphones. Each innovation changed the way we communicated and did business. Some people embraced those changes, others resisted them, but eventually they became part of everyday life.

Artificial intelligence feels different. It isn’t simply another tool. It has the potential to change almost every profession, every industry and every aspect of how we search for information, make decisions and communicate with one another.

Perhaps that’s why I find it so fascinating. Every morning I spend time experimenting with AI. I ask questions, explore ideas and test its capabilities.

Quite honestly, there are moments when it amazes me. It can solve problems in seconds that would have taken me hours. It can organise thoughts, explain complicated subjects in simple language and even challenge my own thinking. There is no doubt that artificial intelligence will make many of us more productive and more efficient.

But after countless conversations with AI, I keep coming back to one simple thought.

The faster technology becomes, the more valuable genuine human connection will become.

At first glance that sounds like a contradiction. Surely if machines become smarter, human interaction becomes less important? I don’t believe that for a second. In fact, I believe exactly the opposite. The more technology surrounds us, the more we will value the people who still know how to listen, understand, encourage and genuinely care. Those qualities cannot be measured by processing speed or computer power because they have nothing to do with technology. They are deeply human.

I often think about my wife, Terrie, when I reflect on these changes. She was always curious about new ideas and embraced innovation long before many others did. We spoke countless times about the future, about leadership, about business and about the importance of never stopping learning. She believed technology should make people’s lives better, but she never lost sight of the fact that behind every business transaction is a person, behind every customer is a family and behind every conversation is someone who simply wants to be understood.

When Terrie wrote One Minute More, artificial intelligence wasn’t dominating headlines around the world. Yet reading that message today, it feels more relevant than ever. Her idea was beautifully simple. Slow down. Give people one more minute. One more minute to listen instead of interrupting. One more minute to ask another question. One more minute to understand what someone is really trying to say. It wasn’t a lesson about selling. It wasn’t even a lesson about business. It was a lesson about being human.

Looking around today, I can’t help wondering whether that message has become even more important. We live in a world obsessed with speed. We expect instant replies, same-day deliveries, one-click purchases and immediate answers. We measure success by productivity, efficiency and how quickly we can move on to the next task. Artificial intelligence fits perfectly into that world because it delivers information almost instantly. But while information has become abundant, genuine attention has become increasingly rare.

Think about the people who have had the greatest influence on your life. Was it because they knew all the answers? Probably not. More often than not, it was because they took the time to listen. They made you feel important. They remembered your name, your story or perhaps something you mentioned months earlier. They weren’t in a hurry to end the conversation. They made you feel that, for those few moments, you mattered.

That’s something no machine has ever done for me.

Artificial intelligence has impressed me many times. It has helped me write, research, brainstorm and organise ideas. It has saved me hours of work. Yet despite all its incredible capabilities, it has never shaken my hand. It has never smiled because we shared the same memory. It has never looked into my eyes when I was grieving or celebrated life’s happiest moments with me over a quiet dinner. Those experiences belong to people, and I sincerely hope they always will.

I believe we’re entering an era where information will no longer be the greatest competitive advantage. Information is becoming available to everyone. Ask an AI assistant almost any question and within seconds you’ll receive a detailed answer. That doesn’t diminish the value of knowledge, but it changes where true value lies. If everyone has access to information, then what becomes scarce? Trust becomes scarce. Wisdom becomes scarce. Authenticity becomes scarce. Human connection becomes scarce.

And history tells us that whatever becomes scarce usually becomes more valuable.

That’s why I don’t see artificial intelligence as replacing people. I see it as challenging us to become better people. If AI can save us hours every week by automating repetitive tasks, then perhaps those hours should be invested where they matter most: building stronger relationships, having deeper conversations and giving people something technology can never truly provide, our complete attention.

Shared by Rudy Pauwels

Inspired by Terrie Anderson

As artificial intelligence transforms our world, genuine human connection, trust and empathy become more valuable than ever.