What are the Humics?
Humics is a contraction of “uniquely human abilities.” It is always written with a capital “H” to highlight our Human essence.
But what exactly makes Humans so special?
To answer this question, look to children. They are the purest version of ourselves. They have innate traits that evolved over millions of years, making us unique from other species.
In the playground, children exhibit three key abilities:
- Genuine creativity: Building sandcastles and imagining new worlds, children are natural creators. Genuine creativity is not taught; it flows naturally, as an intrinsic part of their being.
- Critical thinking: Debating game rules and reaching compromises, children demonstrate the foundations of ethics and human values.
- Social authenticity: Welcoming newcomers and forging connections through play, children showcase the essence of human interaction, communication, and empathy.
These innate abilities – genuine creativity, critical thinking, and social authenticity – are the cornerstones of our humanity.
Is the concept of Humics a recent development?
The idea of Humics is far from new. Thousands of years ago, Aristotle, a seminal figure in Western philosophy, recognized certain uniquely human abilities—similar to what we identify today as genuine creativity, critical thinking, and social abilities—as crucial for attaining “Eudaimonia,” or a flourishing life.
For Aristotle, these inherent qualities were virtues that, when nurtured, led to the highest form of human excellence and well-being. He posited that living in harmony with these virtues allows individuals to realize their potential, discover meaning in their lives, and maintain harmonious relationships with others.
What makes the Humics so special?
The Humics are remarkable for at least three reasons:
- We are all born with them!
- They possess the incredible ability to be cultivated and developed throughout our lives, allowing us to elevate them to new heights. The more we refine these abilities, the more value we can generate with AI. Since they distinctly set us apart from AI, they help create synergies where AI’s weaknesses are balanced by our strengths. This is why the concept of the Humics is a key element of the IRREPLACEABLE transformative approach, applicable to both individuals and organizations.
- The Humics are intimately connected with our deepest selves, our personal narratives, our individual traits, our emotions, and particularly, with love. Love is essential in reinforcing and positively steering these abilities. For example, love fuels our creativity by inspiring us to articulate our emotions, experiences, and visions in creative ways. Love drives us toward values like justice, fairness, and understanding, influencing our decisions to prioritize the well-being and happiness of others—critical thinking. Through love, we also enhance our ability to listen attentively, communicate effectively, and extend support and compassion to those around us—social authenticity.
In our current AI era, why are the Humics more important than ever?
In an era of artificial intelligence, these unique abilities offer us four crucial advantages:
- Synergy Between Humans and AI: The Humics foster a synergistic relationship between humans and AI. As I’ll explore in my upcoming newsletter, these abilities cannot be authentically replicated by AI. This facilitates a complementary collaboration that not only creates synergies but also maximizes the value we derive from AI. By merging our Humic strengths with AI, we transform into Superhumans.
- Unlimited Potential for Skill Development: The Humics empower us to continuously develop skills that remain relevant and adapt to the evolving demands of an AI-enhanced world. In an upcoming newsletter article, I will discuss how investing in your Humics is far more valuable than any AI training.
- Differentiation in Business: In a future where every company has access to similar AI technology, the Humics are the foundation for business differentiation and operational excellence. Companies that strategically integrate human and AI capabilities will deliver superior value to their customers.
- Safeguarding Our Humanity: Cultivating and advancing our Humics acts as a crucial defense against AI diminishing our human essence. The real danger is not AI replacing our Humics, but rather, us becoming overly reliant on AI’s limited abilities, neglecting our human traits, and allowing them to atrophy like unused muscles—ultimately eroding our humanity.
Stay tuned. Over the coming weeks, through this newsletter, I will unfold each of these secrets, providing actionable strategies so that each of us can increase our humanity to create a higher value and a more human world with AI.
