As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into daily work, professionals are being urged to focus on the human abilities that are becoming increasingly valuable in an AI-supported environment. Francisco Tonarely, a New York-based Business Development Representative in enterprise technology, emphasizes that while learning AI tools is important, developing skills like adaptability, judgment, curiosity, and relationship-building is equally crucial.
Recent research supports this view. Deloitte's 2026 Global Human Capital Trends research, conducted with Oxford Economics and based on responses from more than 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. The research also highlighted that one-third of workers experienced 15 major changes in the previous year, but only 27% said their organizations managed change effectively.
Tonarely places adaptability at the top of his list because AI is rapidly changing both tools and job expectations. However, he cautions that adaptability should be disciplined. "You cannot change direction every time something new gets attention," he said. "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." He advocates for continuous learning as a daily practice rather than a formal training event.
Curiosity is another skill Tonarely considers vital, especially as AI provides quick answers. He argues that the quality of those answers depends on the questions asked. A curious professional is more likely to question AI outputs, consider missing information, and apply context. Deloitte's January 2026 study of 1,394 employees 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. Tonarely notes that for younger professionals, easy access to information should not be mistaken for expertise. "AI can help you learn, but you still have to care enough to understand what you are learning," he said.
Judgment remains a critical human role. AI can summarize data and suggest actions, but someone must decide if those suggestions are appropriate in a given situation. Deloitte's 2026 research argues that competitive differentiation is increasingly tied to human capabilities such as adaptability, creativity, and judgment. Interestingly, organizations taking a technology-focused approach to AI were 1.6 times more likely not to achieve returns exceeding expectations than those with a human-centered approach. Tonarely emphasizes that "good judgment comes from understanding the situation, not just having information."
Communication also becomes more important as AI makes information production easier. Tonarely points out that effective communication depends on understanding the audience's needs and context. "You can have all the information in the world and still communicate it poorly," he said. This is especially relevant in enterprise technology sales, where conversations involve varying technical understanding. Recognizing when to simplify or elaborate is a key human skill.
Finally, relationship-building cannot be automated. While AI can help with preparation and follow-ups, trust develops through consistent, human interactions. Tonarely notes, "Technology can help you prepare, but it cannot make somebody trust you. That comes from how you communicate and what you consistently do." For sales professionals, AI should create opportunities for meaningful interaction rather than just increasing outreach volume.
Tonarely believes that AI skills and human skills should develop together. Deloitte found that only 6% of leaders said their organizations were making progress in designing effective human-AI interactions, and 65% believed their culture needed significant change due to AI. Organizations must help employees learn to work differently, but individuals can also take responsibility for their development by experimenting with AI while strengthening their judgment, communication, and relationships.
As AI becomes ordinary, these human skills may become less visible but more important. Tonarely concludes, "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. I think it will be the people who learn how to use it while continuing to develop their own judgment, communication, adaptability, and relationships."
