The future of work isn’t far in the future; it’s being built right now. While some are experimenting with AI, most of us are worried about navigating rapid change with outdated strategies.
What many people don’t realize is that our uniquely human skills are what make us irreplaceable. And in today’s precarious job market, this cannot be overlooked, especially for young people.
At LinkedIn, we wanted to understand what these capabilities actually are, so we spoke to neuroscientists, organizational psychologists, behavioral economists, and talent leaders.
We arrived at five capabilities by focusing on core inputs that each person can develop individually and in many ways make everything else possible. We call them the 5Cs.
1. Curiosity
AI can create possibilities based on patterns. Humans decide what’s important and then think, “What if I tried something completely different?”
We can use that curiosity and the openness that comes with it to learn about AI, learn how it changes the way we work, understand ourselves and what makes us irreplaceable, and most importantly, align our careers with our curiosity.
The polio vaccine was invented when Jonas Salk and his colleagues wondered if a dead virus could teach the body how to fight a live virus. He might have been wrong. He took the time to test his ideas anyway. Wilbur and Orville Wright were curious. “Birds can fly, so why can’t we?”
At work, when curiosity increases, daily life suddenly becomes full of discoveries. When a doctor notices that a patient flinches when discussing things that have happened in their life, they investigate deeper and uncover the real cause of the stress.
2. Courage
AI can calculate risk. Only humans decide what risks are worth taking.
Courage is the willingness to act even without complete information and move forward even when the outcome is not guaranteed. Choosing to be the test case when everyone else is waiting for evidence.
At work, courage turns hesitation into action. Developers who propose new frameworks mid-project to better serve customers. A sales manager who tells a customer that their request is incorrect and guides them to a better solution. A designer pushing for a complete rebrand while everyone else clings to the status quo.
3. Creativity
AI can remix what exists. It’s up to humans to decide what’s worth reconsidering.
Creativity is the ability to create something truly new, not simply by recombining existing elements, but by imagining possibilities that did not exist before.
At work, creativity is not limited to “creative” roles. A nurse noticed something that helped relax patients with anxiety and designed a comfort kit for them. Data analysts visualize information in ways that suddenly reveal invisible patterns. A teacher transforms her classroom into a mock archaeological excavation site to teach history.
All of these people not only solve problems, but create new ways to respond to situations that others cannot see.
4. Compassion
AI can simulate concerns. Only humans can feel and express it.
Compassion is what makes us people at work, not just employees at work. Caring turns transactions into relationships and teams into communities. Managers who notice that their employees’ performance is declining and realize that they are caring for sick parents silently arrange flexible working hours. A customer service representative who stays on the phone with a confused customer for longer than necessary, explaining each step.
Neil, one of the consultants we spoke with, encourages his team members to take the time to chat by calling each other and saying, “How are you doing? I’m going for a walk. Would you like to come with me? I’d love to hear how you’re doing.”
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“For most people, it’s uncomfortable,” he says, but adds, “I’ve seen it fundamentally change team dynamics and their ability to perform and make good decisions.”
5. Communication
AI can translate languages. Only humans can transform language into meaning.
At work, communication determines whether an idea dies or flourishes. Take, for example, the book I co-authored with Aneesh Raman, chief economic opportunity officer at LinkedIn. We wanted to tell a story that would help people understand and cope with this moment of great change in the workplace, especially those who are feeling anxious, confused, and skeptical.
AI could help by providing structured feedback and refining examples. But what really shaped this book came from people: face-to-face conversations, hard thinking, and the friction of ideas.
Word by word, we had to think deeply about the human experience of trying to process a moment of great change and how to give everyone the agency to hopefully ultimately get through it. To do that, you need to know people. Must be human.
Ryan Roslansky and Aneesh Raman are co-authors of Open to Work: How to Get Ahead in the Age of AI.
Ryan is the CEO of LinkedIn and host of The Path, a career and work video series, podcast, and newsletter. Through these roles, Ryan is shaping the next direction of our work to unlock greater economic opportunity for the global workforce.
Aneesh is LinkedIn’s Chief Economic Opportunity Officer. Previously, he served as senior economic strategy advisor for the state of California, led economic impact at Facebook, worked as a presidential speechwriter, and was a war correspondent.
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