Why AI might just be the key to deeper human connection—and why emotional intelligence still matters more than ever.
I’ve been in IT since 1983, starting my career at age 19. Over four decades, I’ve witnessed the extraordinary shifts in human behaviour shaped by technology.
Using this experience to help companies to understand the opportunity that AI provides is a huge joy for me. Helping each person in the audience to see the joy held within their Emotional Intelligence.
This is the age of EQ.
In 1983, I saw desktop computers replace mainframes, 1994 experienced the birth of home computing, the internet, 1998- social networking, 2009 the rise of social media, the app explosion—and now, the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence.
As a business keynote speaker and someone passionate about emotional intelligence, I see AI not as a threat, but as an opportunity. An opportunity to reclaim time, and with it, to restore the human touch in business and life.
This week, I’ve been pondering how AI could help humanity if we use it wisely. Could it make space for deeper relationships? Could it allow us to focus on what really matters: each other?
What Makes Us Human?
Two definitions of ‘humanity’ captured my attention:
- “A comprehensive exploration of human thought and culture.”
- “The ability to love, have compassion, be creative—and not be a robot or alien.”
Starting my sales career at 19, I didn’t realise I was laying the foundation for what would become a life devoted to connection, compassion, and contribution. That first job? It felt like a family. We knew each other. We cared.
That experience shaped my belief that business is, and always has been, personal.
It’s this perspective that fuels my work as a female motivational speaker, especially in conferences where the audience is searching for meaning in the modern, digital workplace.
The Early Days of Leadership
My first telesales order came from a simple act of care: I sent a potential client a packet of Tunes cough sweets after he sounded unwell on the phone. That tiny gesture built trust.
In my first leadership role, I leaned into what Robert Greenleaf described in 1970 as servant leadership:
“The servant leader is servant first… It begins with a natural feeling that one wants to serve—rather than acquire power, influence, fame, or wealth.”
It’s ironic, isn’t it? Even back then, Greenleaf urged us not to become like robots. And yet, here we are—with AI reshaping work, communication, and relationships. The risk? We might forget what it feels like to truly see each other.
Why Emotional Intelligence Is Still Our Superpower
In every talk I give, whether as a conference speaker, a motivational speaker for business leaders, helping people become skilled networkers, or a keynote speaker on the future of work, I return to one question:
How do we show up as humans in an AI-driven world?
Here are the traits I believe we must protect and develop:
- The desire to help others.
- The willingness to keep learning and embracing change.
- The skill of listening deeply.
- The curiosity to understand people’s lives and needs.
- A reliable, positive reputation.
- Time, genuine time, for the humans in our life.
These aren’t just personal traits, they’re powerful professional tools. In fact, I believe they are the future of business leadership.
AI as a Doorway, Not a Wall
Used well, AI isn’t a replacement for humanity. It’s a tool for leaders, and entrepreneurs to regain time and reinvest it in the human aspects of work.
Here are four questions I invite you to ponder this week:
- What time has AI given you back—and who are you giving that time to?
- Are you using this time to build deeper, more significant relationships?
- Could your business model evolve to embed humanity at its core?
- Are you leading the way in learning and adapting, or falling into fear?
Why I Speak About This
As one of the UK’s top female public speakers, I’ve stood on stages and spoken to thousands about resilience, love in business, and human connection in a digital world.
My hope is this: that AI gives us back the gift that early internet culture promised and failed to deliver, true connection.
Let’s not let AI replace us. Let’s use it to restore us.
Whether you’re a leader, a founder, or someone navigating change, I believe this is the time to lead with love, speak with compassion, and connect more deeply than ever before.
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