Last August, Polish alcoholic beverage company Dictador made headlines by appointing the world's first artificial intelligence robot as its experimental CEO.

Reportedly, this AI CEO, named Mika, operates without personal bias and can swiftly and accurately process vast amounts of data to make decisions that are closely aligned with the company's strategic goals. Moreover, it can work non-stop - whether it's a 9-to-9 shift or 24/7, Mika never slacks off.

This could put pressure on human CEOs.

The rapid advancement of AI technology in recent years has steadily encroached upon traditionally human-dominated fields, inevitably disrupting various industries. This includes role such as writers (including translators, authors, artists, and media writers), customer service, advertising design, image processing, educational consultancy, and some administrative roles, as well as in sectors like law and financial investment.

On 26 September, Bilibili's CEO, Chen Rui, announced the launch of Index, its self-developed large language model, which has been used to create AI-powered subtitles. This sparked a common concern among translators, although I can’t deny my own reliance on translation software.

In everyday life, many customer service phone lines have already been taken over by AI-powered systems.

AI has undoubtedly replaced some roles, but what about executive positions such as CEO? After all, an executive's core responsibilities often involve making decisions based on the market environment and the company's internal resources, which requires analysing and identifying market trends, as well as understanding and communicating the internal company dynamics. Unfortunately – or fortunately, depending on the perspective – these are tasks at which AI also excels and has the potential for full automation.

In 2022, Chinese gaming company NetDragon appointed an AI-driven rotational CEO named Tang Yu. Meanwhile, although not as radical, advertising agency BlueFocus Group has already replaced outsourced tasks with artificial intelligence.

The situation may appear far from optimistic. It is reminiscent of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century – while the invention and adoption of the steam engine improved societal productivity and ultimately raised living standards, it also led to widespread unemployment in small-scale farming and handicrafts in Britain and triggered a global "great unemployment."

In my opinion, the advent of the AI-generated content era is no less transformative than the arrival of the steam engine.

Admittedly, AI technology will undoubtedly be beneficial in the long term, especially given the almost inevitable decline in global birth rates and population ageing. However, with the relentless advancement of AI, those of us living through this period of transition can’t help but wonder: Can we withstand these disruptions? What measures can we take to stay relevant and avoid being replaced by AI?

The outlook may not be as bleak as it seems.

The general view is that artificial intelligence can help managers improve efficiency, but it still cannot fully replace leadership. Even Mika, the AI CEO, relies on humans to make the major decisions behind the scenes. In other words, although AI can provide powerful data-driven insights and optimisation suggestions, it cannot truly control the bigger picture. Moreover, it lacks emotional intelligence and empathy.

In the short term, AI may indeed impact certain industries and fields, leading to job losses or reduced opportunities for some professionals. However, the likelihood of AI fully replacing an entire profession remains relatively low. Instead, the real future may lie in human-machine collaboration. The application of technology can amplify human skills while fostering the emergence of new roles or industries.

This raises an important question: What measures can I take to adapt to this rapidly changing era and seize better development opportunities in the age of AI?

Perhaps the timeless wisdom still rings true – lifelong learning is essential, and the ability to "learn as long as you live" remains the key to adapting to change.

Additionally, interdisciplinary skills are widely recognised as a major advantage in the future workplace. Developing such skills, enhancing flexibility and adaptability, and utilising AI tools effectively will be crucial for achieving resilience and success.

Perhaps more importantly, McKinsey's research highlights that “soft skills” such as leadership, communication, critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal skills are currently highly valued and will remain indispensable in the future. These are unique human strengths that are unlikely to be replaced by AI for a long time.

AI struggles to replicate human emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills, allowing people to devote more time to creative and strategic pursuits. By cultivating and honing these skills, we can fully leverage the opportunities offered by AI technology. Perhaps we can then find ourselves at the forefront of innovation once again, soaring to new heights.