Eons ago in PR, one of the top habits for any associate aiming to get ahead was combing through all the daily newspapers before the day began. These were physical newspapers, mind you. I might have lost some of you there. But why did we do this? Firstly, to stay on top of the biggest stories, and secondly, to check if our clients had received any ‘column centimetres’ – or publicity, as it’s commonly known.

 

I remember driving around late on Saturday evenings, after a night out, just to grab the first editions of the Sunday papers. A Sunday wouldn’t be complete without going through the main weeklies. I have to admit, I loved the gossip pages. But alas, it seems newspapers are a dying breed. Even my housemate, once a fervent Sunday newspaper reader, has given up. We know what has replaced the hard copy.

 

Change is hard, but necessary

 

I understand that change is difficult for some, but resisting it is futile. I’m very open to finding new ways of doing things and, amidst the ‘robots are taking our jobs’ hysteria, I’ve found a way to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) in my daily experience. But imagine my surprise during a life-transforming course earlier this month when I began to grasp just how much we can use AI to our advantage. How? I hear some of you ask.

 

We have to start at the beginning. Humans are the most intelligent iteration of creation in all of history. In fact, we are the purveyors of AI – it was created by us. So how can we fear something that is simply a natural evolution of the digital age? We’ve seen the doomsday headlines. We’ve heard the fearful comments from those around us. But there’s no stopping it.

 

Behind the fear

 

There’s something else behind the fear; there are other questions to ask. What are you spending your days doing that you believe AI could replace? If you have an answer to that, I’m truly sorry for you. It means you most probably spend much of your day on rote tasks that could be done faster and better by software. Do we not see how absurd it is that we go to ‘work’ just to sit in buildings, on chairs, staring at screens all day?

 

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 states that “Skills such as AI and big data; analytical thinking; creative thinking; resilience, flexibility and agility; and technological literacy are not only considered critical now but are also projected to become even more important. Moreover, leadership and social influence, curiosity and lifelong learning, systems thinking, talent management, and motivation and self-awareness solidify their importance, emphasizing the continued relevance of human-centric skills amid rapid technological advances”.

 

There’s hope

 

This gives me life. I see opportunities in ‘creative thinking’, ‘leadership and social influence,’ ‘curiosity and lifelong learning,’ and ‘the continued relevance of human-centric skills’ – just to name a few. Now more than ever, we’re called to dive deep into the essence of what it means to be human – that unique quality that sets us apart from any technology we’ve created and ever will.

 

Dear heart, when did you become so afraid of life? There’s no need to be! I’ve started a new journey to uncover my own purpose, and in doing so, to help others find their special, innate gifts to share with the world. Oh yes, you have a gift. You may not have discovered it yet. Connect with me so you can start taking action to live your best life.