As our dependence on technology grows ever deeper, many are yearning for more authentic human connections. Progress requires a complementary development of both high tech and high touch.
Digital communication, easy information access, and AI assistance enable our businesses to remain productive and competitive, but for relationship-based functions, they often lack the richness of in-person interaction that is core to culture, and often, to strategy execution. We miss the subtle facial expressions and body language, the warmth of physical presence, and the spontaneity that comes with being in-person. This creates a certain tension – the more we rely on screens for connection, the more we might crave the depth of interaction that comes from being physically present with others.
Certainly, technology offers many novel human connection benefits, like virtual meetings that sustain relationships across vast distances, or apps that can foster communities which wouldn’t otherwise exist. And the growing use of AI may strengthen our human connections. By handling routine tasks and communications, AI could free up more of our time and mental energy for meaningful human interactions. AI could also help bridge connection gaps – translation AIs breaking down language barriers, or AI apps that help navigate interactions more productively.
But like all new technologies, the benefits produced by AI could be offset by unexpected negative consequences which exacerbate the high tech-high touch tension. As AI companions and assistants become more sophisticated in mimicking human conversation and emotional responses, people might increasingly substitute these interactions for human ones. Or, the convenience of always-available AI that never gets tired, judgmental, or requires reciprocity could create a path of least resistance away from the messier, but more meaningful, human relationships.
The outcome likely depends on how we design and integrate AI into our businesses. If we create AI primarily as a substitute for human connection, it may indeed reduce personal interaction, negatively impacting culture and service. But if we design AI specifically to enhance and enable human-to-human connection – like tools that encourage personal perspective gathering, or systems that facilitate more meaningful in-person gatherings – then it could boost initiative and productivity.
The most promising path might involve being intentional about preserving spaces where technology takes a back seat to direct human interaction, so using AI and other technology enriches rather than replaces those fundamental connections.
How are you ensuring that technology development complements personal development?