1. The question about the future
Right now, many people are asking: What changes will Artificial Intelligence really bring? It’s a question that keeps me thinking as well.
Recently, I spoke with a young high school graduate. His question: “What should I study?”
In the past, I could give clear recommendations based on individual strengths and interests. Today, that has become much harder.
I myself studied law. Of course, we will always need good lawyers. But much of what I learned at university – research, writing legal opinions, drafting long academic papers – can today be done by AI in seconds.
2. Hype or gamechanger? My memory of 3D printing
When I started my studies in the late 1990s, I remember a Economist cover: a violin produced with a 3D printer.
I was convinced: This will change everything.
25 years later: 3D printing is a fascinating technology with many applications. But the great revolution? It never came.
Most products are still manufactured in traditional factories, and houses are still not built by printers.
It wasn’t the first time I misjudged a trend. Sometimes I overestimated, sometimes I underestimated.
3. The more important question: What remains?
Over the years, I’ve learned this: It’s often more useful not to ask “What will change?” – but “What will remain?”
Jeff Bezos thinks the same way. He says: In 20 years, people will still want to order products online as cheaply as possible – and have them delivered as quickly as possible.
That’s why Amazon is built around exactly that.
This perspective on what remains is often far more accurate than trying to guess which trend will change what and to what extent.
4. Applied to the world of work
If I apply this thinking to work and AI, I come to a clear conclusion:
I don’t know which jobs and industries AI will transform, or to what degree.
But it’s very likely that leadership, empathy, culture, and personality will become more important than ever.
Because when knowledge, tools, and even complex programs are provided by machines in seconds – what matters even more are the things only humans can do:
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showing empathy,
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inspiring and motivating others,
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building trust,
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forming teams,
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shaping culture.
5. Leadership remains human
That’s why I keep emphasizing these topics – whether in executive search, in coaching, or in workshops on personality and culture.
AI can write, calculate, and analyze.
But AI cannot make a vision come alive, hold a team together emotionally, or embody a company culture.
That remains human.
And I am often surprised how little this – to me, self-evident – insight has taken hold. Too often, the focus is still on know-how and technical expertise, while personality and culture are dismissed as “soft” or even “esoteric.”
6. My recommandation
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Which competencies in your company are threatened by AI – and which will become more critical than ever?
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Are you investing enough in empathy, communication skills, cultural development, and leadership?
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Where is expertise overvalued in your organization – and leadership undervalued?
Technology will change a lot.
But culture, motivation, and inspiration – they remain human.
