Hire Wisdom, Use Tools: AI’s Role in a Human World
A recent marketing campaign boldly proclaimed: “Stop Hiring Humans. Hire Artisans,” referring to AI bots as the ultimate artisans of productivity. Clever—but fundamentally wrong.
Artificial intelligence isn’t a replacement for humans. It’s a tool, like the printing press or the personal computer. AI, for all its promise, should empower us, not erase us. To believe otherwise ignores what sets humans apart: wisdom.
What AI lacks—what it will always lack—is wisdom: The ability to create meaning, connect with others, and guide with judgment born from experience. Wisdom isn’t just intelligence. It’s experience, judgment, creativity, and emotional intelligence. It’s the artist who imagines a masterpiece. The leader who restores morale. The mentor who guides with empathy. Wisdom requires nuance.
An AI model can write music, but it can’t tell you why we cry when we hear it. It can analyze literature, but it can’t grasp Maya Angelou’s ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ or the raw emotion in Tupac’s ‘Dear Mama’. AI can remix ideas, but true innovation—the kind that created Picasso’s Guernica—is uniquely human.
AI is replacing mundane tasks, and that’s a good thing. It allows humans to focus on what we do best: solving complex problems, building relationships, and creating meaning. AI is an incredible tool—one I believe in deeply—not as a replacement for humans, but as a way to amplify what we do best.
I believe in the power of technology because I’ve experienced it firsthand. As someone with dyslexia, tools like AI have and will transform my life. Spreadsheets helped me see patterns. Audiobooks freed me to absorb knowledge. Generative AI has erased my fear of writing. These tools didn’t replace me—they empowered me. They amplified my productivity but didn’t replace the wisdom that comes from lived experience.
Companies tempted to remove humans in the workplace and replace them with AI risk a hollow future—one where productivity grows but purpose diminishes. AI introduces change, but it’s human wisdom that provides balance. Progress doesn’t come from choosing between innovation and experience; it comes from combining the two. AI can transform what we do, but only humans can guide how and why we do it.
It’s why we created OpenWater Group, a platform to connect midlife professionals—people rich with wisdom—with opportunities to lead, contribute, and innovate. OpenWater exists because we believe in elevating human wisdom—connecting experienced professionals with opportunities where their insights and leadership can make the greatest impact. Tools like AI can help us go further, but it’s human wisdom that guides the way.
Hire Wisdom, Use Tools. That’s how we move forward.
