The year was 2018 and I was, sitting in my son’s high school auditorium, surrounded by parents and kids all buzzing in anticipation of what their future would potentially look like. We were there for the big reveal — the 10th-grade curriculum showcase. It was supposed to be a roadmap, showing how the school would prep our kids for college and whatever comes next.
But something didn’t sit right with me as the principal and the teachers started listing off all these programs. It felt like we were being prepped for a world already in the rearview mirror. With all the AI and tech advancements happening, it struck me — we were gearing up for yesterday’s game of life.
“Looks like we’re training for the last century here.”
Leaning over to my wife and son, I couldn’t help but whisper, “Looks like we’re training for the last century here.” And then, trying to lighten my son’s mood, I said, “You’ll have to be the boss of the bots, buddy.”
“You’ll have to be the boss of the bots, buddy.”
Fast forward to 2024 at a branding workshop I attended, run by Chris Do. He mentioned his son’s in college now, diving into humanities because we’re in the era of AI. And it clicked for me. With all this AI stuff taking over, our understanding of the subjects in humanities, human creativity and spark will really count. That’s when it hit me — being the “boss of the bots” isn’t just about tech skills; it’s about that human touch, the stuff you get from studying the humanities.
That’s when it hit me — being the “boss of the bots” isn’t just about tech skills; it’s about that human touch, the stuff you get from studying the humanities.
Over the past year, I’ve been knee-deep in exploring, testing, writing, and speaking about the impacts of Generative AI, Large Language Models, and other AI forms. It’s fascinating stuff, but it’s also a bit of a wake-up call. As the CEO of a product design agency, I’ve seen firsthand how AI can supercharge what we do. We’re already embedding AI into the products we ship for our clients, finding new ways to blend technology with human-centred design. Clearly, the future isn’t just about understanding AI — it’s about integrating it with the unique insights and creativity that only humans can bring.
After that eye-opening comment at the workshop, I started diving deeper into what separates the humanities from the more traditional, job-focused curriculum that seems to be the go-to in most schools. You see, the typical school program is chock-full of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, which, don’t get me wrong, are absolutely crucial. But they’re primarily about giving you the tools to solve problems that have already been defined to fill existing roles.
On the other hand, the humanities are a whole different ball game. We’re talking philosophy, literature, art, history, languages — the stuff that teaches you not just how to think but to ask why we feel the way we do. It’s about challenging norms, understanding cultures, and truly getting the “human” experience.
While STEM preps you for jobs that a robot might be doing in a few years (no offence to the robots out there), the humanities are all about nurturing those irreplaceable human skills — creativity, empathy, and moral judgment. These are the skills that, no matter how advanced AI gets, it can’t replicate. At least, not yet.
So, when we’re staring down a curriculum that’s prepping our kids for a world rapidly reshaped by AI, those human-centric subjects suddenly seem a lot more future-proof. It’s not just about being employable; it’s about being adaptable and able to lead and innovate in a world where the only constant is change.
