Is it even a race?
We live in a rapidly changing world where technology advances each second and AI is quickly becoming part of our lives. Machines learn and develop, they take tasks away by completing them better and more efficiently than humans. Many people are overwhelmed and frightened by this change. How do we win the race against the machines?
Arthur Schopenhauer once said:
“Talent hits a target, no one else can hit. Genius hits a target, no one else can see.”
We win by embracing what is the most human. We win by embracing our unique GENIUS – our imagination, creativity and innovation.
To some, this may sound too abstract but it is not. Some of the greatest minds of our time have been advocating for developing our creative side to boost innovation. They have already mapped the way we need to take.
The knowledge base we all acquire thru traditional education is no longer enough. It is clear that we have spent decades learning the exact material machines learn in a matter of days. So what do we do?
Jack Ma answers that question in a very simple and straightforward way during his panel talk at the World Economic Forum:
“We have to teach something unique, so a machine can never catch up with us. These are the soft skills we need to be teaching our children: Values, Beliefs, Independent Thinking, Team Work, Care for Others. That’s why we should teach our kids Sports, Music, Painting, Art – to make sure humans are different from machines.”
If we do that, it is no longer a race. It is simply division of work. We, humans, will take on the heavy weight of innovation through creative thought.
This approach is not only applicable to kids. We, the adults, should also focus our efforts on developing these soft skills. Now more than ever!
Experiential learning is key to development of new skills, especially soft skills. Delving into other cultural world-views through their traditional arts, music, sports is an engaging and enlightening way to develop empathy, creativity and innovation. It is a natural way to step in others' shoes and experience the world in a new way. Those of us who have lived in other cultures can vouch for it.