AI in the Workplace: What Parts of Being Human Can Never Be Replicated?

How does artificial intelligence affect your life — and do you fear AI in the workplace could replace you? It’s a question that invites both reflection and debate. In today’s landscape, it is also a question that is increasingly becoming unavoidable in a variety of contexts, from the workplace to the home. Our colleagues gave this topic considerable thought, offering a range of compelling perspectives on the ways AI is reshaping our daily routines, and why — despite its rapid rise — it cannot truly replace the human element in the workplace.

In this column, adopted from the familiar “Heard on the Street” format, we offer our respondents a chance to answer the question posed in the title. These are their replies, reported verbatim. Enjoy!

Beyond the Algorithm: The Essence of Being Human

AI will never replicate true leaders or teachers. Notice ‘true’ leaders or teachers. Any ‘leader’ or ‘teacher’ can have a title. That doesn’t mean anything. True leaders lead by example. True leaders will have character. Character is gained by suffering. Lastly, true leaders are willing to sacrifice: Soldiers who jump onto the grenade. The king who leads knowing it’s the most dangerous at the front. How can AI endure human suffering and thereby relate and make wise decisions? How can AI sacrifice when it’s not alive? How can AI lead by example to inspire others? No, AI will never replace true leaders. True teachers have a gift of teaching. Good students can pull that gift out of the teacher. The teacher will be pulled to communicate, inspire and illuminate in a way that works with one student, but not another. That back and forth requires a two-way human connection. Can tools be gifted to go beyond themselves? Can a human and machine connect like two humans? Oh, people may argue yes, but they’re wrong. One is alive and one is dead. No, AI will never replace true teachers. AI is a fine tool, but it will never truly lead or teach.

Jared Lusk
Duncan Oil Company
Springfield, Ohio

AI provides many great tools, but one thing I think will be hard to replicate will be the interpretation of body language. One of the unique aspects of sign language is how much of the language depends on the interpretation of facial and body language. Shifting back to verbal languages, much of the intent of spoken words depends on more than simply the words. AI will definitely change our communication, but part of being human will continue to be our unique ability to understand more than simply words.

JD Buss
Westlark Advisors Inc.
Overland Park, Kansas

In my view, AI will never truly replicate what bonds us together as humans. These bonds are formed from shared experiences, whether it’s cheering for the same sports team, swapping stories about parenting teenagers, coping with the loss of a parent or simply navigating the daily juggle between work and home life. The list is endless, but the result is the same: a sense of reassurance that we’re not alone. Every time I discover a common bond with someone, it brings perspective and comfort, especially on days when life feels overwhelming.

Abby Thurston
Rural Computer Consultants
Bird Island, Minnesota

I doubt that AI will ever be able to experience emotional connections with people, to the degree that actual physiological changes in a person’s body occur when experiencing various emotions. I’m going out on a limb here, but those changes are probably more related to chemical and hormonal reactions that take place after being triggered by the brain’s response to external events. I don’t believe AI can fully replicate that process without inhabiting a physical human body.

Bruce Swiecicki
Consulting Engineer
Tinley Park, Illinois

AI is only as powerful as the information it’s given, so I don’t believe it could ever replicate human spontaneity. Every response it generates is based on information it already possesses, never a real leap into the unknown. True spontaneity comes from a mix of emotion, instinct and personal experience that no man-made invention can fully capture. AI recognizes feelings but never actually feels them, never has anything at stake and could never allow those things to interfere with its existence. And without any sense of mortality — that intuition that drives love, urgency, curiosity and all of the other unique aspects that make us human — it will never know what it truly means to be alive.

Lucy Shaffer
Shaffer’s Bottled Gas Inc.
Hooversville, Pennsylvania

AI will never replicate intuition. My intuitions have been built from years of lived experiences. Some call this tribal knowledge. My intuition informs me of subtleties in conversations and in navigating complex situations. This is extremely helpful with negotiations. AI will never replicate creativity. Creativity helps me ‘think outside the box.’ Creativity is colors, not limited to black and white. Creativity is one of a kind and unique. When it comes to problem-solving, which I enjoy, this is where my creativity and intuition converge. Everyone has access to the internet, and they all arrive at the same answer or solution. I apply intuition and creativity in my everyday life. No, AI is not going to replace me.

Julie Johnson
Ted Johnson Propane
Baldwin Park, California

Your heart and your soul can never be replicated by AI. Your soul represents your individuality, which includes your mind, will and emotions. It can also be described as your moral compass, self-awareness and your feelings, which make us all uniquely different based upon our experiences. AI is a collection of code, algorithms and mathematical probabilities. I’d prefer my heart, soul and mind.

Jerry Schimmel
P3 Propane Safety
Cumberland, Rhode Island

This is a tough one for me as I am not that familiar with the capabilities of AI, but here it goes: I think AI will be unable to relate emotions with what we see. When we see someone or something, we generally create an emotion or an idea about that person or thing. Creating that story or emotion through our own lens will not be something that AI will be able to replicate.

Tom Krupa
NGL Supply Terminals Co.
Richmond, Virginia

As someone who works in marketing and content creation, I don’t believe AI will ever fully replace human creativity. AI can generate content, but it lacks genuine emotion, lived experiences and the personal touch that makes creative work truly connect with people. I feel like there will always be a need for humans to guide, refine and bring authenticity to the final product.

Kirsten U. McAlpin
Conger LP GAS Inc.
Tifton, Georgia

A few years ago, I would have easily answered this question. Now that I have learned more about AI, this is a lot harder to answer. It’s honestly crazy to see all of the things AI can do. I know it is controversial, but AI has been helpful in both my business and personal life. However, obviously, it needs to be used in moderation and should never be considered to replace people in the workplace. While brilliant, AI is exactly what its name [says]: ‘artificial.’ Human emotions and connections are complex, and AI will never be able to replace the deep care, love and compassion that people show for each other.

Staci Rammel
Woodruff Energy
Bridgeton, New Jersey

True creativity. AI assembles words, music or images in a pleasing and uniform manner. But this ‘rational’ approach to creativity does not produce great art, music or writing. The lines may be symmetrical, the notes melodious or the words elegant, but the lack of humanity in the process will render these efforts somewhat hollow.

Leslie Woodward
Fairview Inc.
Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Emotional intelligence. Just like the new movie from January 2026, ‘Mercy,’ the AI Judge determines guilt based only on probability. She struggles to have intuition — that human intuition, that gut feeling. With only facts at her disposal, these AI systems will inherently stay two-dimensional, unable to see/think like a human.

Mike Dodd
Propane Ninja
Tampa, Florida

AI will never replicate how a human evolves over time. We are, at any period in time throughout our lives, changed by the experiences we have lived.

Boyd H. McGathey
EDP
Parkville, Missouri

AI can replicate human ‘performance outputs’ like conversation, creativity, planning, companionship and even emotional responsiveness. But it can’t replicate human conditions — subjective embodiment, mortality, moral accountability, lived identity and love under conditions of vulnerability.

Christopher Caywood
Guardian Propane Partners LLC
Delray Beach, Florida

While AI can certainly ‘act’ human, it can never be human. It is good at being creative, strategic thinking, scientific analysis and mimicking certain human behaviors and characteristics. But that’s all it is: mimicry. AI can never be human. It can never have consciousness, feelings or emotions. AI can never take risks, sacrifice for children, fear death, etc. Humans are unique in that we experience things: hunger, pain, illness, aging, happiness, joy and even physical touch from others. Humans can also bear a deep sense of responsibility. We can choose to be courageous while at the same time being afraid. We can also choose to sacrifice even though self-interest would make the most logical sense. So, while AI can certainly ‘act’ human, it can never be human.

Charlie Criswell
Criswell Propane Inc.
Grinnell, Iowa

The Limits of AI

Ultimately, AI is a powerful tool, but it is nothing more than that. It does not live, feel or experience the world; it simply processes the information humans provide. Without genuine emotion, creativity, intuition or the ability to truly adapt, AI cannot replace the depth and complexity of human thought. It is neither friend nor foe, but a reflection of those who build and guide it.