How To Thrive In the Age Of AI Agents: Bring Humanities Back

By Jaspreet Bindra

In The Demon-Haunted World, Carl Sagan reflected on a time when scientific training was inseparable from the humanities. At the University of Chicago, it was expected that aspiring physicists would study Plato, Aristotle, Shakespeare, Freud, and other great thinkers across disciplines. Engaging with philosophy, music, literature, history, and social sciences was considered essential to becoming a well-rounded scientist.

This holistic approach to learning was once common, not just in Sagan’s era but also in ancient civilisations like India and Greece, where subjects like grammar, logic, philosophy, and natural sciences were taught together. However, in recent decades, the surge in technological progress has tilted the focus sharply toward STEM fields. Engineering and medicine have become the benchmarks of success, while degrees in the humanities and pure sciences are often viewed as second choices.

But this tide may be turning, thanks to the rise of Artificial Intelligence, and more specifically, Agentic AI.

Watershed Moment

While the launch of ChatGPT in 2023 was a watershed moment, it is the evolution of AI agents, driven by models like OpenAI’s o3 and o4 and China’s Manus, that is reshaping the conversation. Unlike chatbots that merely suggest, AI agents take action. They can draft legal documents, reconcile accounts, write code, and schedule meetings autonomously. If software once "ate the world," AI agents are now consuming entire categories of work. This prompts a crucial question: if agents are doing the work, what is left for humans?

The answer lies not in obsolescence but in redefinition. Humans will continue to play a central role, but the nature of that role will shift. Our value will not be in executing tasks that AI can easily replicate, but in our ability to ask thoughtful questions, make complex decisions, and bring context and empathy into the process.

Find The Right Question

In this new era, questions become more valuable than answers. While AI can generate responses instantly and at scale, the skill of framing the right question, with clarity and intent, becomes the differentiator. This is the emerging field of prompt engineering, which blends curiosity, domain knowledge, and critical thinking. As Sam Altman recently noted, the ability to find the right question may soon be more important than having the right answer.

Every effective prompt is essentially a piece of code, not in Python or JavaScript, but in natural language. In traditional programming, we instruct machines using formal syntax. With AI, we now guide machines using human language. This dramatically raises the value of how well we use language—our precision, tone, context, and clarity. Whether in English, Hindi, or Mandarin, our command over language is quickly becoming a core technical skill.

As AI takes over the “how,” humans will increasingly focus on the “why” and the “what's next.” The disciplines that foster these kinds of thinking—philosophy, literature, ethics, and language, are becoming more relevant than ever. These subjects help us understand human motivation, context, and ambiguity. They sharpen judgment, empathy, and critical reasoning, all of which are still beyond AI’s true capabilities.

Humans Still A Must

This shift also holds promise for the pure sciences. AI is adept at optimising and applying known solutions, but discovery still requires human intuition and creativity. Hypotheses, experimental design, and theoretical breakthroughs remain firmly in the human domain, where abstract reasoning and imagination are essential.

Interestingly, the rise of cognitive technologies may also rejuvenate interest in manual and industrial professions. Since AI primarily disrupts knowledge-based roles, mechanical, chemical, and aeronautical engineers may find renewed relevance in traditional manufacturing and hands-on industries. This could support efforts in countries like India, the United States, and parts of Europe to revive their industrial bases.

Ironically, this AI-driven future may take us back to our roots. It calls for a renewed emphasis on the arts, critical thinking, and scientific curiosity. In this world, being a great writer, teacher, chef, or scientist could be just as valuable as being a software engineer or data analyst.

To prepare for this future, we must rethink how we educate ourselves and the next generation. The industrial age rewarded strength, the digital age rewarded logic, and the age of AI agents will reward wisdom, empathy, and curiosity. As machines take over more of the thinking, we must double down on what makes us uniquely human, our ability to feel, imagine, question, and create.

(The author is the CEO of AI&Beyond)

Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs, and views expressed by the various authors and forum participants on this website are personal and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs, and views of ABP Network Pvt. Ltd.

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