AI doesn’t possess the skills of a UX designer. Get ahead of the “AI will take my job” crowd.

To be sure, I asked ChatGPT itself and it didn’t disappoint me…

Source: S.P Jain’s Blog post

Artificial intelligence (AI) has made significant strides in recent years, capable of performing a wide range of tasks that were once the exclusive domain of human workers. However, despite its impressive capabilities, there are still some skills that AI will never possess.

I’ve been listening to many people talking about AI taking their job. As a UX designer, I was not worried, but confused about how AI will take on my creative job. After these thoughts, I read a few articles of other designers talking about AI taking designer’s jobs and went through some YouTube videos but ended up doing something which I should have done earlier.

Yes, I ended up asking ChatGPT itself about the skills that AI doesn’t possess and will never will. That smile on my face and a sense of relief after reading the answer made my day and it will surely do the same to you, please read till the end.

Here’s what I asked chatGPT

Screenshot by Author from OpenAI

Here’s what it replied…

Screenshot by Author from OpenAI

But for me, this reply was just a starting point of this job-exchanging scenario. So I dived deep inside all of these skills to know the exact reasons why AI can’t possess this skill and how we HUMANS differ from AI in terms of these skills. Allow me to take you through this journey…

Note: I‘ve used the word “Human” (for this story only), instead of “UX designer” just to make it easy for everyone to understand the gist of this article.

Image by Author

Although AI can generate creative outputs like artwork, music, writing & images, this creativity is limited to the data fed to the algorithm. AI cannot generate something of its own, something original.

While AI can generate creative solutions, it still lacks the ability to create something entirely new and original without any input or guidance from humans. — chatGPT (OpenAI)

But how do we humans differ from AI?

We, humans, have the ability to generate ideas and concepts in a very novel and meaningful way, whereas AI is limited to preexisting data.

Human creativity is driven by many a range of factors and therefore we are different from AI in many ways:

• Intentionality: Humans have the ability to generate concepts, set goals, and use their imagination to make something that never existed before whereas AI lacks this ability.
• Emotion: Emotions and feelings in humans are often driven by curiosity, passion, and empathy which play a very vital role in the creative process. AI lacks the ability to experience emotions and generate innovative ideas.
• Novelty: Humans have the upper hand when it comes to generating novel solutions because we have the ability to take risks, conduct experiments, and push boundaries. On the other hand, AI cannot generate unique ideas because its data is limited to what our human mind possesses.
• Context: Creativity is not just about creating new ideas but understanding and responding in which context they are generated. Human creativity is contextual and is influenced by our surroundings, culture, and social norms.

Image by Author

Empathy requires the ability to interpret and understand complex emotional cues such as body language, voice tone, and facial expressions. It also requires the ability to understand social and cultural norms that shape the human experience which is very difficult to replicate by a machine.

AI lacks the ability to understand human emotions and empathize with people. This is because emotions are complex and subjective, and AI lacks the human experience necessary to comprehend them fully. — chatGPT (OpenAI)

But how do we humans differ from AI?

There are many complex emotions and cognitive processes which are unique to humans:

• Cognitive Processes: Perspective-taking, mentalizing, and emotional regulation are some of the cognitive processes which empathy requires. Perspective-taking is the ability to think about how it is to be in someone else’s shoes, and how to see people from a different angle or perspective. Mentalizing involves the ability to understand and attribute oneself and others. Emotional regulation includes the ability to regulate one’s own emotions in response to someones else’s. These cognitive processes require complex neural networks inside a human brain which is unique to humans.
• Emotional experiences: Human experiences a wide range of emotions like love, joy, anger, and many more complex emotions which shapes our perception, beliefs, and behaviors. On the other hand, AI lacks the depth of emotional experiences that humans possess, which restricts its ability to respond to emotions in a meaningful way.
• Social and cultural context: Humans are social creatures and our empathy is shaped by social and cultural norms, values, and beliefs. AI lacks the ability to understand the social and cultural context of emotions which restricts AI to empathize with people.

Image by Author

We, humans, developed a common sense over time through a broad and nuanced understanding of the world acquired through social interactions, daily experiences, contextual understanding, and intuitive reasoning.

AI can make logical decisions based on data and algorithms, but it lacks the common sense that comes from life experience and intuition. Humans can make judgments based on their experiences, while AI cannot. — chatGPT (OpenAI)

How do we humans differ from AI?

There are several key ways in which humans differ from AI when it comes to common sense:

• Contextual understanding: Humans possess a contextual understanding of the world which allows us to recognize humor, infer implicit information, understand metaphors, and navigate complex social interactions and therefore we can interpret situations based on background knowledge, cultural norms, and social cues.
• Ambiguity and uncertainty: Humans are skilled at filling in missing information, making assumptions, and dealing with ambiguity and uncertainty. Using background knowledge and using logical reasoning, we can make sense of incomplete or conflicting data.
• Acquisition: By observing the consequences of the action, learning from our experiences, and interacting with the world, we humans acquire common sense. While AI lacks in this experimental learning process and it relies on some datasets and algorithms.
• Flexibility and adaptability: Learning from our own experiences, we humans can apply our common sense to a wide range of situations and can adapt easily to novel scenarios. We can draw upon prior experiences, make intuitive judgments, and apply general principles to new situations. AI operates on some precise data and struggles to handle incomplete or contradictory data.
• Ethical and moral judgments: Our common sense acquired from live experiences often extends to ethical and moral judgments, where we evaluate the impact of the action on others, consider fairness and make value-based decisions. AI lacks ethical reasoning and moral judgments, as it is based on some predefined rules or patterns without understanding the broader ethical implications.

Image by Author

Intuition is a cognitive process that involves subconscious pattern recognition, instant understanding, decision-making, and the ability to acquire knowledge without conscious reasoning. Intuition may sound like something that happens instantly but in reality, it requires years of knowledge and experience in a particular domain.

Intuition is a human ability to sense or perceive something without relying on reason or empirical evidence. AI lacks this innate sense of intuition that humans possess. — chatGPT (OpenAI)

How do we humans differ from AI?

• Subconscious processing: Humans can recognize a pattern and make connections without even using their conscious awareness because humans have the ability to process information at the subconscious level. This can generate a sense of “Gut feeling”. AI lacks this subconscious capability and relies on explicit algorithms and data for decision-making.
• Emotional and sensory inputs: Sensory inputs contribute to our perception and understanding of the world while our emotions provide a valuable signal that guides our decision-making. AI lacks the ability to feel emotions and to have sensory perception.
• Tacit knowledge and experience: Intuition is drawn upon tacit knowledge which is difficult to express explicitly. Humans gain this knowledge through years of experience, practical skills, and exposure to multiple situations. This pool of vast knowledge contributes to our intuitive decision-making. In contrast, AI lacks the experiential learning and accumulation of tacit knowledge that humans possess.
• Creativity and innovation: Human intuition can generate new ideas and insights by combining different perspectives, exploring beyond boundaries, and making unorthodox connections. While AI can generate new ideas using its present knowledge but it is still incapable to generate novel patterns with the same creativity and innovative capacity that emerges from human intuition.

Image by Author

Morality is a nuanced and complex concept that involves ethics, values, and subjective judgment based on what is right and wrong. Morality is deeply rooted in human experience, societal norms, and cultural values and it evolves over time through collective debates and discussions.

AI does not possess a moral compass and cannot make ethical decisions based on values, beliefs, and cultural norms. Humans have an inherent sense of right and wrong that AI lacks. — chatGPT (OpenAI)

How do we humans differ?

• Emotional and Empathetic Considerations: Human morality is often influenced by compassion, empathy & emotions. We can understand and relate to the emotions and experiences of others, which shapes our moral judgments. Empathy allows us to consider the impact of our actions on others and make moral decisions based on compassion and care. AI lacks emotions and empathy, limiting its ability to factor in emotional considerations when making moral judgments.
• Moral Development and Cultural Variation: Human morality evolves and develops over time. It is influenced by cultural, social, and historical contexts. Different cultures and societies have varying moral values and norms. We, Humans, can adapt and learn from moral experiences, engage in moral debates, and evolve our moral frameworks. AI lacks the capacity for moral development and cultural understanding, as it operates based on fixed programming and lacks the ability to participate in moral discourse.
• Emotional and Empathetic Considerations: Human morality is often influenced by emotions, empathy, and compassion. We can understand and relate to the emotions and experiences of others, which shapes our moral judgments. Empathy allows us to consider the impact of our actions on others and make moral decisions based on compassion and care. AI lacks emotions and empathy, limiting its ability to factor in emotional considerations when making moral judgments.
• Moral Responsibility and Accountability: Humans are morally responsible for their actions and can be held accountable for their moral choices. We are aware of the consequences of our actions and can reflect on the moral implications. AI lacks consciousness and intentionality, making it incapable of assuming moral responsibility or being held accountable for its actions.

Image by Author

AI cannot possess physical agility because physical agility is primarily related to the physical capabilities of a body and the ability to perform complex movements, adapt to changing environments, and coordinate sensory input with motor responses. AI systems, being software-based, lack physical bodies and do not possess the physical attributes necessary for agility.

AI does not have a physical body, and therefore it cannot perform tasks that require physical agility, such as running, jumping, or climbing. — chatGPT (OpenAI)

How do we humans differ?

This point about how humans differ from AI in terms of physical agility is least important as we are talking about a little out of context, but yet, this point is included in this list of skills that AI doesn’t possess because it can’t be ignored.

There are a few points or areas which can be included in this point, some of which are:

• Learning from Physical Experience: Humans learn physical agility through a combination of genetic predisposition, neural development, and learning from physical experiences. We learn through trial and error, practice, and feedback from our actions. Our brains adapt and refine motor skills based on our physical interactions with the world. AI systems, being software-based, primarily learn through data-driven algorithms and lack the embodied learning capabilities that humans possess.
• Balance and Coordination: Humans possess a sophisticated sense of balance and coordination, which allows us to maintain stability and perform precise movements. We have fine motor control over our muscles, enabling us to execute intricate actions with precision. AI, lacking a physical body, does not have the same level of balance, coordination, and fine motor control.
• Physical Presence: Humans have a physical body with muscles, joints, and a range of sensory organs that allow us to perceive and interact with the physical world. Our bodies enable us to move, navigate various terrains, and manipulate objects with dexterity. AI lacks a physical presence and does not possess a body that can perform physical actions.
• Adaptability to Physical Constraints: Human physical agility involves adapting to different physical constraints and challenges. We can navigate through complex environments, adjust our movements based on obstacles or changes in terrain, and respond to unpredictable situations. Humans can quickly learn and adapt to new physical tasks or challenges through practice and experience. AI systems, without a physical body and real-time sensory feedback, lack the same adaptability and ability to respond to physical constraints.
• Sensorimotor Integration: Humans have highly developed sensorimotor systems that allow us to perceive and interpret sensory information from our environment and translate it into coordinated motor responses. Our sensory organs, such as vision, hearing, and touch, provide continuous feedback that helps us adjust our movements and maintain balance. AI lacks the ability to directly perceive and integrate sensory information in real time as it operates solely on data and algorithms.

In conclusion, while AI has made significant advancements and demonstrated remarkable capabilities in various domains, it still has inherent limitations in certain areas like Lack of creativity, Absence of empathy, Inability to possess intuition, Lack of common sense, Limited morality and ethics & lastly, Physical limitations.

On the other hand, It is also important to appreciate the unique strengths and capabilities AI brings to our applications. AI has made much of our boring work easy and has saved time.

In the future, there should not be a debate about “Humans vs AI”, but instead I see a collaboration between the same, to design the world to be a better place than it is now. There are pros and cons to every software/system and AI is not any different. Don’t get your hopes low as a UI/UX designer after seeing all the AI tools, all the magic starts from Pen & Paper, also all the above skills are backing you.

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Thank you for reading!!

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