We’re living through one of the most exciting revolutions in decades.
Artificial intelligence is expanding the boundaries of what’s possible, from generating ideas in seconds to analyzing patterns too complex for the human eye. Its speed and scale are astonishing. And yet, as it continues to accelerate, a more interesting question is emerging: what can’t AI do?
That’s the conversation I’ll be having with Laurence Liew, Director of AI Innovation at AI Singapore, at The Marketing Society’s upcoming Changemakers Conference in Singapore. Laurence and I come at this from different disciplines, he’s a technologist, I’m a designer, but we share a common optimism. We both see AI not as a replacement for human imagination, but as a catalyst for it.
Despite the hype, AI success doesn’t happen automatically.
Many initiatives stumble, not because the technology fails, but because the human ecosystem around it isn’t ready. In Singapore, Laurence’s team has shown that when innovation is supported by a culture of learning, collaboration, and trust, the results are transformative. It’s not just about building smarter systems; it’s about creating more human-centered ones.
The challenge isn’t about AI replacing us. It’s that it will redefine us. And the work of amplifying what human excels in the age of agentic intelligence starts now.
So, what are the things machines can’t (yet) do well?
Feel loss. Experience joy. Act out of courage, curiosity, or moral conviction.
These aren’t flaws to be optimized away. They are, in many ways, the essence of meaning, creativity, and leadership. They’re also the very things that will guide how we use AI responsibly to extend our capabilities without losing our humanity.
At Prophet, as we explore how AI can enhance creativity and insight, we’re focused on how to humanize its deployment by designing systems and culture that amplify intuition, empathy, and imagination. Because when we use AI well, we don’t lose what makes us human; we refine it.
AI will continue to astonish us with what it can do. But perhaps its greatest gift will be in revealing what it can’t. And in that space — the space of emotion, instinct, and purpose — the next wave of creativity will begin.
Join Laurence and me at the Changemakers Conference in Singapore as we explore how understanding AI’s limits might just reveal its greatest promise. Find out more here.
