Here’s How AI Can Amplify Human Intelligence

Close-up of a person’s hand holding an iPhone and using Google AI Mode, an experimental mode utilizing artificial intelligence and large language models to process Google search queries, Lafayette, California, March 24, 2025. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

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With artificial intelligence reshaping the U.S. economy, working Americans are shifting their expectations for career growth. While there is cause for concern, it’s not all bad: There are many ways that AI can enhance human strengths rather than merely reducing headcounts.

The first step for any AI-impacted professional is to learn and experiment. Be bold enough to get creative with new technology. According to recent research from Outward Intelligence (where I serve as CEO), most U.S. adults are intimidated by the idea of learning AI functions while about half worry about losing the ability to reason if they become reliant on the technology, especially students and entry-level employees.

The best way to keep critical thinking skills sharp while incorporating AI tools into daily work is to first study up on different technological offerings. ChatGPT-5.2 is very different from Claude Code, and today’s professionals need to know which one is best for what—from coding to creating a PowerPoint presentation or editing a research paper. Silicon Valley is fluid and rapidly evolving, and workers need to educate themselves about the “supersonic tsunami” that is AI development (to quote Elon Musk). Even as the CEO of an AI-native quantitative research platform, I am learning daily about AI’s capabilities and what it can’t do—yet.

Despite fears of job displacement, I have faith in our learning potential as human beings. U.S. adults continue to demonstrate strong foundational purpose and well-being, creating a receptive audience for tools that enhance rather than replace human agency. An overwhelming majority of U.S. adults (83%) believe they have a clear vision for what they want to achieve in life, while 76% percent can think of “many ways” to get the things in life that are most important to them.

If you do know what you want over the next year or decade, experimentation is the most fruitful way to use AI as part of that goal. Don’t just test the limits of large language models when it comes to writing a first draft or generating a social media graphic; you can use AI to do research on decision-making itself. Think of it as a quasi-mentor online: AI can tell you which career is potentially a fit, the general earning potential of that career, and how you can get from points “A” to “B” and up the career ladder. If you see many paths to success, LLMs and other AI offerings can narrow it down.

AI tools have immense potential for complementing purposeful lives rather than disrupting them. From Google Gemini’s search function to language translation services for foreign-language conference calls, there are endless examples of AI complementarity—tools that make us more productive. Roughly half of Americans claim that AI helps them accomplish more when it comes to meaningful activities. In the healthcare industry, for example, professionals are using AI to predict demand for care and automate appointment scheduling.

Today, AI is viewed more as a productivity tool than a purpose enabler, and people are right to feel this way. Those who expect AI to provide deep meaning will likely be disappointed, while those who focus on functional benefits will reap them. The good news is that increased productivity enables people to spend more time on creative tasks. The most impactful AI tools will reward users with dependability that they cannot find elsewhere, whether it means analyzing a spreadsheet within seconds or creating a business plan from scratch.

Because AI consumers value reliability and dependability themselves, the tools that can seamlessly draft bullet points, crunch numbers, and summarize long paragraphs will continue to come through with massive productivity gains. AI is now projected to double U.S. labor productivity growth, according to 2025 research by Anthropic, due to improved writing, greater access to guidance, and other common applications.

Americans are proud, purpose-driven workers who value self-reliance. The American spirit is particularly well-suited to inspiring people who seek out AI to achieve even greater heights. People who are open to trying new things will reach those heights. Artificial intelligence can serve our purpose—humanity, enhanced and not replaced.