Artificial intelligence (AI) is improving at a rate that can be hard to keep up with and slightly frightening, from writing papers and making art to holding conversations that sound surprisingly human. With these rapid changes, it makes sense for people to be concerned about the future of employment. A common fear is that AI will make human work unnecessary since algorithms never need sleep, breaks or even ask for a raise. Yet, even with all their progress, AI systems could never replace the things that make us human and our unpredictability.
Instead of just sitting around imagining a dark, cold world run by heartless robots, I decided to test this theory in a lighthearted way. I asked my classmates and professors at Doane University a simple question: “What is one thing you can do that AI could NEVER replicate,” and the answers were funny, random and revealing.
Junior Jake Prudek, a member of the Men’s Wrestling team: “I can walk into a room, forget what I was doing in that room, walk out, and then remember again.”
Engineering professor Calle Stolle: “I can lose absolutely every game of UNO that I play.”
Larry Wood from facilities: “Decide whether I was just in a verbal argument or if a physical interaction was about to happen.”
Nurse Jody Yank: “I can actually look at the patient and assess different parts of the body to see what their signs are, VS just symptoms, which makes me able to better diagnose.”
Freshman Houston Hill, long snapper for the Doane Football team: “AI could never replicate feelings, such as losing a game and how you feel that deep burn. They might understand how much it sucks but they don’t know how it really feels. Just as much as the wins, they aren’t as ecstatic as humans are.”
Junior Tyler Caldwell, STUCO treasurer: “Balance financial statements, it’ll get it right three out of five times, but the other two, your homework is going to be entirely wrong and your teachers are going to be asking what you did and how you got down that path.”
These answers all reflect something real, that humanity is not about flawless performance and efficiency but rather our mistakes, humor and small moments that make life feel genuine. AI might continue to get better and even change the whole system of how we work, but no matter how advanced it gets, there will always be a part of us that can never be replaced.
