Will AI replace humans? Are you also curious about this issue? Let’s explore in detail with INVIAI in this article to find the most reasonable answer for you!

In the current era of artificial intelligence (AI) explosion, many people ask: can machines replace humans in work and life? In reality, AI is deeply impacting the labor market: according to the IMF, about 40% of global jobs could be affected by AI, with this figure rising to 60% in developed countries.

However, this impact goes both ways: AI will automate certain tasks but also support and enhance productivity for the remaining jobs. For example, a McKinsey survey estimates that generative AI tools could automate up to 70% of employees’ workload and replace half of their daily activities by 2045.

Nevertheless, as scientist Erik Brynjolfsson (Stanford University) asserts, “AI does not just automate work and replace humans; the greatest benefit comes from AI working alongside humans and helping them work more efficiently.”

How is AI changing work?

AI has been and is being applied in many fields from manufacturing, healthcare, to services and education. Many repetitive tasks or those based on fixed processes can be quickly handled by AI. For example, in factories, automated robots can take on assembly or basic quality inspection tasks; in offices, AI software can input data, analyze patterns, and automatically generate reports.

However, a study by MIT points out that even for jobs related to image processing (computer vision), which are considered easily replaceable, “most jobs previously seen as at risk of AI replacement do not currently yield economic benefits when automated.” In other words, in many cases, humans remain the most effective and cost-efficient solution at this time.

Specifically, AI can replace specific tasks (data cutting, pattern recognition) but cannot yet fully replace human involvement in the overall process.

The jobs most likely to be affected tend to be those that are computational and repetitive. For example:

• Manufacturing and automated inspection (robots have replaced many manual tasks in factories).
• Administrative and office services (data entry, basic accounting, scheduling).
• Basic customer service (chatbots supporting common inquiries).
• Data analysis and basic financial reporting (AI can quickly aggregate, filter, and present data).
• Initial content creation (automatically writing simple news articles, editing videos/templates).

However, even in these sectors, humans still play an essential role in supervising, evaluating, and handling complex situations beyond algorithms.

Human skills that AI struggles to replace

Although AI is becoming increasingly powerful, it still has many limitations compared to humans. Experts emphasize that artificial intelligence currently lacks the ability to perceive or understand like humans. A Workday (2025) survey of thousands of workers found that 93% of AI users believe this technology helps them “free up human effort” to focus on more strategic and higher-level thinking tasks.

With AI handling repetitive tasks, humans can dedicate time to planning, creativity, and solving complex problems—areas where AI has yet to surpass.

A recent study by Cambridge Judge Business School also shows that when optimized, large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT can achieve creativity equivalent to 8–10 people if asked to respond multiple times to the same issue.

This indicates that AI can “compete” with a small group of humans in specific creative tasks, but it does not mean AI can replace the full range of unique creative abilities of each individual.

More importantly, AI is unlikely to replace uniquely human skills, such as:

• Empathy and communication: the ability to sense, understand emotions, and build relationships. Workday notes that skills like ethical decision-making, empathy, and conflict resolution—closely tied to human factors—are considered “very important and hard to replace” in the digital economy.
• Creativity and critical thinking: AI can suggest ideas, create initial drafts or images, but humans still need to skillfully select and refine to create entirely new value.
• Leadership and management: AI lacks full autonomy, cannot take on final decision-making roles or inspire teams like humans. Moreover, many jobs require flexibility and adaptability to changing contexts (such as education, healthcare), relying heavily on social skills that AI cannot yet replace.

Even tech leaders emphasize this point: a representative from Canva affirmed that AI “will not replace core human elements such as empathy, communication, and relationship building.”

The role of humans in the AI era

In summary, AI will not “replace humans” comprehensively. Instead, AI is changing the way humans work. Many reports show AI significantly boosts labor productivity without reducing employment.

For example, according to PwC (2025), companies using AI to increase productivity have recorded average revenue growth per employee three times higher than before. Contrary to fears of job loss, PwC states: “Contrary to fears of job loss, the number of jobs—and wages—are increasing in most AI-exposed occupations, including those with the highest levels of automation.”

Many large enterprises have also demonstrated this. For instance, in December 2024, Salesforce announced it would not hire additional software engineers in 2025 due to significant productivity gains from AI; the company said it developed a fully automated “AI Agent” capable of linking enterprise data and performing tasks in sales, customer care, marketing, and commerce.

Similarly, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman predicts that by 2025 we may see “AI Agents” joining the workforce as virtual employees and significantly changing company productivity. These examples show businesses are leveraging AI to boost productivity and creativity rather than merely cutting staff.

>>> Would you like to know: How does AI work? 

Recent analyses and studies consistently agree that AI will change work but cannot fully replace humans. In the AI era, the challenge for each individual is to learn how to collaborate with this technology.

Many experts note that workers should view AI as a supportive tool—“people who know how to use AI will replace those who don’t”—rather than a threat. To adapt, we need to enhance uniquely human skills (empathy, creativity, management) and learn to leverage AI effectively.

Ultimately, the answer to the question “Will AI replace humans?” is not an absolute “yes” or “no.” AI will replace certain specific tasks and transform how we work, but humans will continue to hold a leading role thanks to qualities that machines cannot possess.

Instead of fearing it, we should prepare knowledge and skills to master AI, turning it into a powerful ally to improve efficiency and quality of work in the future.