Retain the Human Edge in an AI Age: Master the art of learning to learn

How mastering the art of learning to learn will determine your success in the AI age

Human Edge in the AI Age: Eight Timeless Mantras for Success

by Nitin Seth Published by Penguin

496 pages ₹799

  Technological breakthroughs don’t always live up to the hype. A decade ago, we were told that 3D printing will replace manufacturing of many types of products. A company even demonstrated building a house using a 3D printer. But we are still buying and using products made in factories. Yes, 3D printers have become more and more affordable and in consumer products marketing most designers use 3D printers to create prototypes, instead of wood or plastic moulds.

 

Virtual reality and artificial reality, too, seem to have not grown the way they were supposed to take over our real world. IoT, or internet of things, has had a slow start but we are seeing more of it everywhere. I was impressed that a B School in Mumbai is using this technology to issue books to students. But has it taken over our world? Have refrigerators started ordering for milk, bread and eggs, as they were supposed to? No, not yet.

 

In contrast AI, especially generative AI, has had a great start. And a lot of it is not just hype. ChatGPT, from its late 2022 launch, now boasts of more than 700 million worldwide users. In India, too, ChatGPT has had a great beginning. So have all the other GenAI platforms like Gemini, Perplexity, CoPilot, Claude and others.

 

There is widespread fear that ChatGPT and its ilk will replace humans causing widespread job losses. These arguments reminded me of the protests that computerisation faced in public sector banks in India (our own Luddite Moment).

 

So it was with great interest that I dived into the book Human Edge in an AI Age by Nitin Seth. He is also the author of two other books on related subjects (Winning in the Digital Age  and Mastering the Data Paradox ). An   alumnus   of IIT Delhi and IIM Lucknow, Nitin worked in McKinsey, Flipkart and Fidelity International before setting up Incedo Inc, a digital, data and AI services firm with a global footprint. He knows what is happening and is ready to tell it as it is.

 

In the first section, ominously titled “AI is redefining every aspect of life and business”, Mr Seth lays out the cards. AI is on an irresistible march and nothing is going to stop it. At one time we thought AI will not surpass human capabilities, but that is happening. AI will fundamentally reshape every industry and all jobs will change in the AI Age. It is not a question of whether it will happen or not, but when it will happen.

 

His hypothesis is that the first wave, happening right now, will affect 11 to 22 per cent of all jobs and 2 to 5 per cent of jobs will be lost. The second wave will be from 2030-35 when 45 to 60 per cent of all jobs will be significantly affected and around 15 to 35 per cent of jobs will be lost. The third wave will be 2035-2040 when almost all jobs

 

(90-95 per cent) will be impacted and a staggering 35-50 per cent will be lost. In terms of industries, disruption is happening now in retail, media/content and financial services. Next sectors to be affected will be healthcare, manufacturing and education. We are already hearing of pharma companies training doctors on the use of AI; and doctors are lapping this up. The last sectors to be affected could be agriculture, government/ public services and construction/infrastructure.

 

So is all lost? Not at all, says the author.

 

In the second part of the book, Mr Seth presents “Eight timeless mantras for success in the AI Age”. The first mantra is that we need to enhance our problem-solving skills. How to structure a problem, how to define a core problem, and which framework we should use; learning these will help us work with AI better. The second mantra is be ready to embrace change. Figure out new ways of learning instead of resisting change. The art of learning to learn is going to decide how you can navigate your job in the AI age. The third mantra is quite different: Connect with the self through spirituality. The author is a big believer of Vipaasna meditation and wants you to embrace a mindfulness journey. I will let you discover the other five mantras for yourself.

 

The book is not a “light” read and at more than 450 pages it is packed with examples, charts, diagrams and even some photographs from the author’s personal library. But it is an engrossing read. If you want to know how the AI wave is going to affect your business or job and how you can get ready, you will find this book an engaging and engrossing read.

 

The reviewer is a bestselling author of 12 books. His latest is Marketing Mixology – Four Essential Ingredients for Marketing Success