As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform industries across the world, business leaders are increasingly being forced to confront a difficult question: what remains uniquely human in a world where machines can work faster, cheaper and more efficiently?
That question formed the centre of a recent address delivered in Shanghai by Chunhua Chen, one of China’s leading management scholars, who argued that the future of organisations may depend less on technology itself and more on how companies value people.
Speaking on the theme, “In the AI Era, Investing in People Matters Even More”, Chen said many organisations are making the mistake of focusing only on technological advancement while ignoring the deeper human changes shaping the modern workplace.
According to her, while AI can improve systems and automate processes, human beings still determine whether organisations can truly adapt, evolve or survive in a rapidly changing world.
Chen explained that the rise of AI is not reducing the importance of people as many fear. Instead, she believes it is making human qualities such as meaning, emotion, creativity, values and purpose even more valuable. One of the strongest arguments from her presentation was that economic value is no longer limited to physical production. In today’s digital economy, activities tied to emotion, identity and self-expression are becoming powerful commercial forces.
She pointed to how younger generations spend money on products and experiences that reflect personal meaning rather than simple functionality. According to her, businesses that understand emotional connection and human identity will become more successful in the future.
The professor also argued that society’s understanding of time is changing. In previous generations, success was closely linked to productivity and efficiency. However, she said younger people now place greater importance on balance, freedom, fulfilment and purpose. She warned that organisations that ignore these changing priorities risk losing talented workers who no longer see work as merely a means of survival.
Perhaps her most important observation was that modern growth is no longer built mainly on competition. Instead, organisations now succeed through collaboration, partnerships and shared ecosystems.
Chen described this as the rise of the “symbiotic organisation”, where businesses grow by co-existing with employees, partners, customers and wider society rather than operating in isolation.
Her position reflects a growing global debate about the future relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. While many discussions around AI focus heavily on automation and job displacement, Chen’s perspective shifts attention towards leadership, culture and human value.
The argument is increasingly relevant as companies across the world rush to adopt AI technologies in pursuit of efficiency and cost reduction. Yet despite these advancements, many organisations continue to struggle with employee burnout, low engagement and leadership disconnect.
For many observers, the warning is clear: companies that invest only in technology without investing in people may eventually weaken the very foundation needed for long-term growth.
In the end, the AI era may not simply be a battle for technological superiority. It may become a test of which organisations best understand humanity itself.
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