As artificial intelligence becomes a more integral part of daily work, professionals are increasingly focused on mastering the latest AI tools. However, Francisco Tonarely, a Business Development Representative in enterprise technology, argues that the real question should be which human abilities become more critical as technology handles more routine tasks.
Tonarely, based in New York, identifies communication, adaptability, judgment, curiosity, and relationship-building as essential in an AI-supported workplace. He believes AI can expand human potential, but professionals must still understand context, evaluate information, and decide when to question AI's output. "The goal should not be to compete with AI at the things it can do faster," Tonarely said. "The opportunity is to become better at the things that still require context, judgment, communication, and understanding other people."
Recent research underscores the growing need for these abilities. Deloitte's 2026 Global Human Capital Trends research, conducted with Oxford Economics and based on responses from over 9,000 business and HR leaders across 89 countries, found that 85% of leaders consider developing organizational and workforce adaptability critical. Yet only 7% said their organizations are leading in helping workers continuously grow and adapt.
Tonarely places adaptability near the top of his list because AI is changing both the tools people use and job expectations. Deloitte's research illustrates the pace of change: one-third of workers surveyed experienced 15 major changes in the previous year, and only 27% said their organizations managed change effectively. For Tonarely, adaptability means being willing to reconsider how work gets done when a better approach emerges. "Adaptability needs some discipline behind it," he said. "You cannot change direction every time something new gets attention. At the same time, you cannot become so attached to the way you have always worked that you stop noticing when there is a better way."
Curiosity is another skill Tonarely sees as increasingly important because AI can provide answers quickly, but the quality of those answers depends on the questions asked. A curious professional is more likely to ask why an answer makes sense, what information might be missing, and how it applies to the situation. "The fact that you can get an answer quickly does not mean you should stop asking questions," Tonarely said. Deloitte has identified curiosity as one of the enduring human capabilities associated with high-performing teams in the AI era, along with resilience, divergent thinking, and emotional intelligence.
Judgment remains crucial, especially when information is incomplete or there is no single correct answer. Deloitte's research argues that competitive differentiation is increasingly tied to human capabilities such as adaptability, creativity, and judgment. Organizations taking a technology-focused approach to AI were 1.6 times more likely not to achieve returns exceeding expectations than those taking a human-centered approach. "Good judgment comes from understanding the situation, not just having information," Tonarely said.
Communication also becomes more important when AI makes producing information easier. Reports, summaries, and presentations can be created quickly, but effective communication still depends on understanding the audience. "You can have all the information in the world and still communicate it poorly," he said. In enterprise technology sales, where Tonarely works, conversations can involve different priorities and levels of technical understanding, making the ability to tailor communication crucial.
Finally, relationship-building cannot be automated. AI can help prepare for meetings and draft follow-ups, but trust develops through repeated interactions. "Technology can help you prepare, but it cannot make somebody trust you," Tonarely said. For sales professionals, AI should create opportunities for meaningful interaction rather than just increasing outreach volume.
Tonarely does not see this as a choice between AI skills and human skills; professionals need both. Deloitte found that only 6% of leaders said their organizations were making progress in designing effective interactions between people and AI, and 65% believed their culture needed significant change. Organizations must help people learn to work differently, and individuals can take responsibility for their development by experimenting with AI while strengthening their judgment, communication, and relationships.
"The people who do well are not necessarily going to be the ones who resist AI or the ones who depend on it for everything," Tonarely said. "I think it will be the people who learn how to use it while continuing to develop their own judgment, communication, adaptability, and relationships." As AI becomes ordinary, these human skills may become less visible but more important than ever.
