--- title: How to Be Human in a World of Artificial Intelligence | The Sales Blog description: If you can set your smartphone down for a few minutes, it is worth meditating on what it means to be a human in a world of artificial intelligence. image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/shutterstock_1361746295.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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The only things you need are a [CRM](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/how-to-make-your-crm-a-strategic-asset), a source of data, a meeting platform, and [some effective digital assets](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/the-new-sales-collateral). As sales stacks grow larger, win rates and quota attainment decline. The promise of technology continues to grow with new developments like artificial intelligence. The explosion of these new technologies is a marvel to behold. It is good to live in the future, but there are some things that technology is missing that can only be provided by a human being. You are probably already chatting to a large language model that feels human. This version of AI is a parlor trick. There is no intelligence. There is only an algorithm that provides the next word in the sequence to answer a prompt. What follows will be something different, something that [Ray Kurzweil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Kurzweil) suggests will “rupture the fabric of human history.” If you can set your smartphone down for a few minutes, it is worth meditating on what it means to be a human in a world of artificial intelligence. ## **Presence** There are some things that provide a human being with an advantage. As technology turns everything into a transaction, humans can compete by being more human. The first of the strategies that provide an advantage is presence. Recently, I removed my social media apps from my iPhone. This has improved the time I spend with Cher and my family. There is no longer a reason to pick up the phone when there is nothing to see. In a world of distractions, your presence is a gift. ## **Caring** Technology may at some time pretend to care, but it isn’t going to match humans when it comes to empathy and compassion. Inside the technology, there are only bits and bytes. It’s cold inside technology. When you are ill, would you feel better if a robot held your hand or [would you prefer a human being to care for you](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/caring-is-a-super-power)? ## **Listening** Both presence and caring precede this [critically important interpersonal skill](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/how-to-improve-your-interpersonal-skills-in-sales). People want to be seen and heard. They want to be acknowledged. They want to feel that what they say is important. Giving your full attention to another person is a gift. It can create a strong bond and improve your relationship. ## **Wisdom** Information isn’t the same as wisdom. Wisdom comes from experience, knowledge, and good judgment. When people struggle to make an important decision, especially one that may have negative consequences, they look for someone with the wisdom to help them decide. Artificial intelligence can provide information, but it cannot offer wisdom. You need to be One-Up. Learn how here: [Elite Sales Strategies: A Guide to Being One-Up, Creating Value, and Becoming Truly Consultative](https://amzn.to/3KGrjgx) ## **Empathy** [We talk a lot about empathy in business nowadays](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/strategic-narcissism-and-strategic-empathy). We want people to be more empathetic, something that now includes salespeople. Empathy requires emotions. Only sentient beings with a heart are capable of empathy. Dogs display empathy. Technology is not capable of emotion. ## **Proactivity** [Technology is not proactive](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/avoid-desperation-and-setbacks-with-proactive-prospecting). It can only respond to commands, prompts, and pre-designed decision trees made by humans. Maybe someday this will change, but until then, human beings are the top of the stack when it comes to proactivity. This is true even though many of us could do a better job of it. If you are in sales, this is one of the important superpowers. ## **Personality** In B2B sales, people buy from other people. They hope that salespeople have the attributes in this article. They also hope [they have a good personality](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/be-yourself-on-a-sales-call). We can add engagement and entertainments as parts of an attractive personality. ## **Curiosity** Technology does not have curiosity. Many humans [are infinitely curious and interested in their world](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/how-to-be-intellectually-curious-in-sales) and how it works. They are the people who are prepared to succeed in business. There is a difference between querying ChatGPT to explain something and doing additional reading and research that is driven by your curiosity. ## **Actual Intelligence** Humans have actual intelligence that is not artificially programmed. When people need help, they look for others who possess the knowledge and wisdom that comes from experience. ## **Creativity and Imagination** There would be no technology were it not for [human creativity and imagination](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/resourcefulness-the-ability-to-find-a-way). Everything on this list comes from human beings imagining something that, up until the moment it was created it was unknown. Imagination is one of the more valuable attributes of human beings. ## **Opposable Thumbs** We have them. Soon Tesla will offer cars that drive themselves entirely. But, even then, they can’t open a door with a doorknob. One thing you can do with thumbs is unplug your technology. At some point in the future, I expect we will need to unplug several server farms to avoid a crisis of some sort. ## **Analog Content** My son has around 300 vinyl albums. He also uses Spotify, but I raised him well enough that he prefers vinyl. He must pick up the needle and place it on the record. Analog is not available to digital. When you turn a knob to turn on a fan, you are analog. Those radio waves, also analog. This tangible content ensures we interact in our world in specific and direct ways. ## **Inefficiency** We are much [too concerned with efficiency](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/would-you-trade-efficiency-for-effectiveness) when we should be concerned with effectiveness and outcomes. This is where we lost the thread. When it comes to interactions with other humans, anything that can be done efficiently can be better accomplished by being purposely inefficient. ## **Time** Time is one of those investments that pays dividends. Sales leaders who prioritize “sales velocity” trade speed for the better relationships that cause buyers to buy. If you aren’t investing in your prospective clients, you are going to miss deals you might have won, had you given them your time. ## **Staying Human Alongside Artificial Intelligence** This list above is about your values, skills, and competencies. Yes, your values. As everything becomes technology, your [differentiation comes from being human](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/how-to-successfully-differentiate-yourself-in-sales). Physical presence, caring, listening, wisdom, empathy, proactivity, curiosity, personality, and actual intelligence support relationships of value. ###### Tags: [Mindset](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/mindset) [2023](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2023) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on June 18, 2023 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. 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You were put here to do something and to flourish. You’re here to reach your full potential and to make a difference. [![DOWNLOAD EBOOK](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/a5c9ad9d-eb17-49f2-b8d2-2d0d07f221c7.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/a5c9ad9d-eb17-49f2-b8d2-2d0d07f221c7) ## Are You Ready To Solve Your Sales Challenges? ![Anthony-Solve-Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Anthony-Solve-Sales.png?width=290&height=221&name=Anthony-Solve-Sales.png) Hi, I’m Anthony. I help sales teams make the changes needed to create more opportunities & crush their sales targets. What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2023-06-18T7:01:14 PM", "datePublished" : "2023-06-18 19:01:14", "description" : "If you can set your smartphone down for a few minutes, it is worth meditating on what it means to be a human in a world of artificial intelligence.", "headline" : "How to Be Human in a World of Artificial Intelligence", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 16, "url" : "https://f.hubspotusercontent20.net/hubfs/2922376/Image/favicon.ico", "width" : 16 }, "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/how-to-be-human-in-a-world-of-artificial-intelligence", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "name" : "How to Be Human in a World of Artificial Intelligence", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 24, "url" : "https://f.hubspotusercontent20.net/hubfs/2922376/TSB/images/TSB%20Logo%20Dark.svg", "width" : 228 }, "name" : "The Sales Blog" } } ```