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Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the workplace, giving hope along with fanning fears of job displacement. Amid all the ensuing apprehension, now a new study seems to suggest that some of the most valuable professional skills will continue to remain deeply human.
According to the research published in May 2026 by GoHumanize, a US-based AI company, skills like leadership, teamwork, negotiation, and emotional intelligence are among the skills that are least likely to be replaced by AI in the next decade. The findings arrive at a time when automation is rapidly transforming industries.
The report forecasts that about 25 per cent of jobs could be automated within the coming decade. However, despite the rapid progress in AI systems that are capable of tasks such as coding, analysing data, and generating content, the study argues that machines still struggle with skills that rely heavily on human understanding, trust, judgement, and emotional awareness.
For the study, researchers examined 60 professional skills and ranked them according to four major factors – how important employers consider the skill; how frequently it appears in job listings; how resistant it is to automation; and how dependent it is on uniquely human traits such as empathy, communication, or ethical reasoning.
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The outcomes of the study revealed a clear trend. The skills that were focused on managing people, understanding emotions, and handling social situations ranked significantly higher than those that were technical or data-driven. On the other hand, areas such as data analysis, which is presently one of the most sought-after skills in the job market, ranked among the easiest for AI systems to automate.
Based on the research, leadership is leading the list of future-proof skills. The study found that leadership received one of the highest employer importance scores at 95 out of 100, and it remains exceptionally difficult for AI to replicate. While machines may be able to automate around 31 per cent of leadership-related tasks, the core aspects of inspiring people, resolving conflicts, motivating teams, and making judgement calls in uncertain situations remain heavily dependent on humans.
The report gave leadership a human dependency score of 93 out of 100, highlighting how deeply linked the skill is to emotional understanding and situational awareness. Roles such as CEOs, school principals, military officers, and senior executives continue to rely on interpersonal dynamics that AI systems cannot easily reproduce.
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Meanwhile, collaboration and teamwork came second on the list. The study revealed that nearly four million active job listings mention teamwork as a key requirement, making it one of the most sought-after professional abilities across industries.
Researchers noted that effective teamwork goes far beyond simply completing assigned tasks. This is because human collaboration often involves recognising unspoken tensions, adapting to communication styles, managing personalities, and building long-term trust among co-workers. Considering these social complexities, teamwork received a high human dependency score of 79 out of 100.
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Negotiation emerged as the third most future-proof skill. The report found that almost 2.8 million job postings currently seek professionals with negotiation abilities. While AI tools may increasingly assist with preparation, data gathering, and research, the study estimates that machines will only be able to automate about 47 per cent of negotiation-related work.
The remaining tasks still require human instincts and social intelligence. Successful negotiation often depends on reading body language, understanding tone, building trust, and responding to unpredictable emotional cues during conversations. As a result, the skill received a human dependency score of 89 out of 100.
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Furthermore, coaching and mentoring also ranked among the least replaceable skills. Commonly associated with leadership, education, sports, and human resources, mentoring needs the understanding of both emotional and practical constraints faced by individuals. According to the study, nearly two-thirds of coaching-related tasks remain beyond AI’s current capabilities.
Researchers pointed out that mentors often need to determine whether someone is struggling because they lack knowledge, confidence, motivation, or emotional support. And this nuanced human judgement remains difficult for machines to replicate.
Public speaking completed the top five skills in the report. The study found that communication delivered with confidence, conviction, and personal presence remains difficult for AI systems to imitate. Public speaking showed a 74 per cent resistance to automation and a strong reliance on human credibility and emotional connection.
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Reportedly, over 2.5 million active job postings currently reference communication or public speaking abilities, further underlining the demand for professionals who can engage audiences and persuade people in real time.
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Other skills featured in the top 10 include organisational leadership, people management, emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, and change management.
Commenting on the findings, the founder of GoHumanize argued that education systems may still be prioritising the wrong areas for long-term career security. According to the statement shared in the report, universities continue to emphasise STEM education and analytical training even as technical tasks become increasingly automatable.
The study suggests that while technical expertise will remain important, professionals who develop communication, leadership, empathy, and decision-making abilities may ultimately be better placed in an AI-driven economy.
