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Polanyi’s Paradox: Why human skills still matter? Have you ever tried to explain something you just know how to do but can’t put into words? That’s Polanyi’s Paradox in action: “We know more than we can tell.” It’s about the unspoken skills, instincts, and experiences we carry. While AI relies on explicit data and well-defined rules, it doesn’t come close to capturing this human essence. To get the most out of what we bring to the table, we need to lean into these strengths and work with AI— not against it. I. What makes us uniquely human? • Creativity and Innovation Humans have this amazing ability to think outside the box. We come up with ideas no one’s thought of before, connect dots that seem unrelated, and imagine things that don’t yet exist. Sure, AI can crunch numbers and identify patterns, but it’s not going to write a bestselling novel, create breathtaking art, or invent the next big thing. That’s all us. • Emotional Intelligence mpathy. Understanding. Connection. These are the things that make relationships meaningful, whether in life or at work. Humans pick up on subtle cues—like the tone of someone’s voice or what’s left unsaid—and adjust accordingly. AI might analyze a tone or detect sentiment, but it can’t truly feel or build trust like we do. • Making Ethical choices When faced with a tough decision, it’s not just about what’s efficient—it’s about doing what’s right. Humans can weigh values, consider context, and navigate those tricky gray areas. In fields like healthcare or law, where the stakes are high, that kind of judgment is irreplaceable. AI just doesn’t have the capacity to “care” in the same way. • Rolling with the Punches Life is messy, unpredictable, and full of surprises. Humans thrive in these moments, whether it’s improvising on the spot, solving a sudden problem, or pivoting when plans go sideways. AI? It’s great at following the rules it knows, but throw it a curveball, and it’s likely to freeze. • Leading with Vision Great leaders don’t just manage—they inspire. They rally people together, build trust, and guide others through uncertain times. Leadership takes emotional intelligence, intuition, and a clear sense of purpose—all things that are distinctly human. II. How to thrive in an AI-powered world AI doesn’t have to be something to fear. Think of it as a teammate that’s here to help us shine. By combining our strengths with what AI can do, we can create a future where both thrive. 1. Keep Learning and Growing Double down on what makes us human, like creativity, empathy, and big-picture thinking. Learn just enough about AI to work with it confidently and get the most out of it. 2. Shift how you see AI Don’t think of AI as a competitor; see it as a tool that makes your job easier. Let it take care of the boring stuff so you can focus on the exciting, impactful work. 3. Team up with AI Use AI to handle things like analyzing data or managing repetitive tasks. Then, you can step in to interpret results, make decisions, and spark innovation. Build teams that mix tech-savvy people with creative thinkers to really bring out the best in both. 4. Lean into what you’re best at? Look for opportunities where human skills—like connecting with people, leading with empathy, or thinking strategically—take center stage. That’s where we’ll always stand out. 5. Help shape AI’s future Be part of the conversation about how AI is designed and used. Push for systems that support and elevate human contributions instead of overshadowing them. 6. Stay curious Keep learning and stay open to new technologies. The more you understand and adapt, the better prepared you’ll be to thrive in this ever-changing world

Let us understand first few things. Michael Polanyi, the philosopher states that human beings tend to depend on their tacit knowledge. Polanyi's paradox (named after him) says that "We can know more than we can tell". A good Wiki's definition of Tacit(implicit) knowledge is that it is a knowledge which is difficult to extract or articulate and is more difficult to express/convey to others through writing or conveying orally, as it talks about a person's skills, thoughts/ideas, wisdom/experiences which he/she possesses but that may not be explicitly portrayed/documented and can be difficult to express. People with tacit knowledge may not be aware of the fact that they possess considerable knowledge and may not be aware as how much that is useful to others How this tacit knowledge can be leveraged? This conscious understanding (of the tacit knowledge) can help organisations and human beings to have a mindset change towards the usage of AI and seek for areas(focus areas) where human interactions can complement with usage of AI to make it more meaningful and beneficial to all the stakeholders. The idea is to leverage the power of AI and human strength for a better outcome in relevant areas. Areas where human skills remain indispensable 1. Indigenous, Intuitive, Innovative Eg: While playing Carrom board [Black and White Game], i try to focus on putting my own coin in the pocket . When i used to play with my relatives (who are previous generational players) , few of them used to put their coins in the pockets and also at the same time, try to base my coin [which is to put my (coloured) coins towards the baseline on my side (especially which will be difficult for me -if there is "Thumbing rule")]. This skill is specific and can be indigenous, intuitive for them. Just like as you have Super Computers like DeepBlue for Chess, we have Carrom Robots, Carrom Simulators for playing carrom normally. While probably the carrom robots can steady upon the patterns/trends seen in the earlier games, picking this tacit knowledge may not be possible, for the AI. [Note: You may need to know bit of Carrom board game to understand this context] 2. Empathy & Emotional Intelligence: Work areas that require human emotions to be tapped in - such as leadership roles, personal coaching, agile coaching, Enterprise Agile coach , mentoring and so on Eg: While coaching/mentoring a person (coachee/mentee) it is not easy to capture the body-language gestures and a corresponding meaning that it can brought about to the person.. AI cannot effectively create a similar impact on Coaching 3. Complex scenarios: When a scenario involves multi-disciplined skills or when there is lot of chaos or uncertainty. Also where there is a scarcity in terms of clear datasets Eg: Analysis of MRI scans by Experts.. . This may involve multiple skills . The Experts provide their comments/analysis based on years of experience.. Its difficult to have that captured through AI 4. Areas that requires finer skills: A combination of skills like Intuitive, Contextual adaptability... Eg: Self-driving cars in Themed Safari Trips, in National highways. Human beings might know the subtle changes that they may observe while doing the driving instead of an AI operated car. 5. When Data gathering is too cumbersome or not enough: Cumbersome could mean that source of the data pulled from multiple sources and this requires threadbare analysis of each and every source and insight has to be achieved. Strategies can individuals and organizations adopt to thrive alongside AI Individuals: Some key factors are 1. Focus on Skills: Focus on some of the skills like innovative, creative skills 2. EI and EQ: Understand about Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Quotient. 3. Understand AI: Understand more about usage of AI and see how it can be leveraged 4. Continuous Learning: Keep your learning of AI and related tools as continuous and stay updated, to reap the benefits Organisation 1. AI as support Agent: Use AI as a supporting agent and not a deciding authority for any business decisions 2. Identify areas of AI support: Have a clear strategy where(in which area) AI and human beings can seamlessly collaborate 3. Provide AI Training: Staffs can be upskilled in specifics of AI. Conclusion: Polanyi’s Paradox highlights the shortcomings that AI can have and also how human interaction with AI as a partner, can provide superior outcomes in terms of productivity, better experiences, opportunities.

Polanyi’s Paradox emphasizes the distinction between tacit knowledge (the know-how that is difficult to express or codify) and explicit knowledge (knowledge that can be easily articulated). Leveraging this understanding can significantly enhance collaboration between humans and AI, and highlight the areas where human skills remain crucial. Here are some insights and strategies: Tacit Knowledge which is difficult to replicate using AI Training and mentorship programs where people work together and learn from experienced colleagues, helps in sharing crucial knowledge and understanding various process nuances through their trainers and mentors experiences and storytelling. AI can be useful in providing relevant documents for this process but it cannot achieve face-to-face interactive elements which help in creating a well-paced learning experience through creating a human connection. When we tackle problems together using interactive methods like brainstorming, we can come up with innovative and diverse solutions. AI is unable to replicate the same. Humans possess a deep intelligence and a keen awareness of the emotional nuances in our interactions. We need to understand social cues, recognize emotions, and show empathy to navigate complex dynamics effectively. This is something that is very difficult for AI to understand. Better products and unique user-experiences can be created by using the feedback we receive from our users. This helps us in curating what is needed by our users and implement the insights we receive from them to add value to our products and services. Areas where human skills cannot be replicated by AI Creative professions - Sports, art, and various other skills and passion based professions are built on human passion and creativity. They are based on aspect of exceptional, individual traits that help in distinguishing one talented individual from another are distinct to each individual. Healthcare - In healthcare, doctors, nurses and other individuals are able to provide a level of service that is built on empathy, ethical decision-making, and nuanced patient care. Teaching/Training/Coaching - Besides providing guided learning, teachers help in inspiring students and adapt the teaching style to how a student learns, something AI cannot fully replicate. Leadership - Effective leadership requires leaders to have a high EQ, which helps them in having an in-depth understanding of how teams function within and with other teams, what keeps their employees motivated to work for the company, and create a work culture that is focused on growth, learning and ability to understand what success looks like for each individual and team. What should be done to thrive with AI Learning skills to work with AI - Building upon existing skills and continuously learning so that we are able to adapt to new technological advancements will help individuals to work in sync with AI to drive better decision making and become more adept at problem solving. The focus should be on learning skills that help individuals in working along with AI. Treating AI as a friend not a foe: AI tools can be extremely helpful in enhancing productivity, efficiency and decision. Therefore, instead of treating AI as an enemy, it is crucial to learn how we can utilize it to assist in making our daily tasks more productive. Building our creativity and EQ: Working on building emotional intelligence and becoming more creative, which are some of the skills that are unique to humans, will help us become more relevant in a workplace. Learning through building a community: Building relationships and creating a better network within industries, helps us in leveraging knowledge sharing and learning through others experiences. This in turn helps in creating a workforce which is more resilient and able to adapt to changes at a faster pace. Skilling up instead of replacing: Instead of merely automating tasks and utilising AI for majority of the work, companies and governments should focus on providing people the relevant skills and assist them in upskilling in order for them to work in sync with the new technological advancements. By recognizing the value of tacit knowledge and focusing on areas where human skills excel, individuals and organizations can coexist with AI, leveraging its strengths while enhancing their own capabilities.