Throughout 2025 I’ve had conversations with people about how AI will affect us. It is a real concern for some people as we read about the AI replacing work that was historically done by graduates and junior team members, and the broader impact on roles across industries.

It is important to take a moment to reflect on the changes that are happening around us and separate the hype from reality. While it is true that some employers are choosing to use AI to replace roles, it is also true that difficult lessons are being learnt. There is still a need for people to be in the loop and for many skills that AI doesn’t have. There is a wider question that needs to be addressed around how we create opportunities for people to join industries when there are fewer entry level opportunities. It is pleasing to see organisations starting to tackle this by creating new employment pathways.

I would like to introduce you to a couple of important people in my life. They have both taught me an important lessons about adapting to our circumstances and how our mindset and determination influence outcomes for life in the most difficult times.

Last year a friend of mine received terrible news after ending up in hospital unexpectedly. He had a brain tumour and the prospects weren’t good. What happened next was a good lesson for us all. He decided to “research the shit out of it” and do things the Doctors couldn’t recommend in addition to the standard treatments available. He changed his habits, changed his diet, he didn’t accept what he was told and he is putting up one hell of a fight.

Recently, another friend had to learn how to walk again after being told he may never walk again. He isn’t the sort of guy that would just sit back and accept what he was told, regardless of who told him. Thankfully, he regained his mobility after putting in an enormous effort that needed tremendous determination. It was a truly awe-inspiring effort that ended with him completing a 10km walking event a couple of months ago.

What does this have to do with AI? The answer is very little, but there is a lesson. It isn’t the technology or artificial intelligence that will decide our outcomes. Our habits, mindset and our ability to adapt will.

Human centric skills will be more important because they complement the capabilities AI gives us. It takes time and effort to develop the skills and make them a habit. Here are three human things, which will differentiate you and can’t by replaced by AI:

• Emotional intelligence and empathy: Our people skills help us build trust, create relationships and understand the emotions of others. People are complex and the bigger the group, the more skill it takes to navigate the human factors at play.
• Original thought and innovation: While AI can work with large sets of data it can’t create a truly novel idea. Our creative thinking and collaborative skills allow us to create art, solve unique problems and make new discoveries.
• Physical dexterity and adaptability in complex environments: While machines can follow a pattern, it is difficult for them to adapt when something changes that is unique (see the point above). If you are having surgery, an AI drive robot could do it, but if something unexpected happens, human decision making and problem solving will give you a much better chance of a good outcome.

If you are thinking about the skills you would like to learn, throw soft skills development into the mix. Don’t forget to learn about AI, it will be an important part of your toolkit. Be the person others want to work with and bring your AI skills with you.

My friends have taught me something important. When the unexpected comes along, we should learn to understand its nature and then use our determination and mindset to tackle the challenge. The last thing we should do is nothing!

The end of the year is a time to pause and reflect. Here are three questions I ask myself:

• What habits and changes will you need to make to adapt to the world and circumstances ahead?
• What skills will you need to develop?
• What will you need to stop doing?

Write it down and check back in a year’s time.