You Can’t Automate Human Connection

AI is going to massively disrupt knowledge economy work, in the same way that factory work was disrupted by machinery in the 20th century. Fewer people will be able to produce much more than ever before. The new work opportunities are going to be in doing the parts that AI, robotics, and automation can’t handle.

Sociologist Professor Allison Pugh says “connective labour” will be the last human job. The human effort of building trust, understanding, and social alignment is what holds all this productivity together. I love the concept because calling this “labour” emphases that it is intentional, dedicated, and economically valuable.

In Pugh’s research, connective labour consistently improves results. As a simple example, consider going to get a coffee at a local coffee shop: Yes, we can do self-service with an espresso machine, but being served a top notch cuppa by a barista who knows your name and your usual order builds loyalty. Similarly, a teacher knowing their students fosters learning. A doctor making the effort to understand the patient and connect more deeply with them leads to better health outcomes. When companies invest in connection, not just efficiency, they gain loyalty, strengthen integrity, and protect against burnout.

In marketing there’s two games you can play to win here. One is the attention-driven game, the other is a connection-driven game. The attention-getting game is where content is used to capture attention - it’s increasingly algorithmic, super-competitive, and coming to be dominated by professional creators. The connection game is where content is used to build trust and key relationships. It’s less competitive, and the payoffs can be much bigger.

I need to emphasise here the importance of authenticity. When you’re playing the connection game, your personality needs to shine through. Otherwise you’re going to recreate that “ick” feeling people get when they see an email or message that’s clearly been drafted by a non-human.

AI can be a game-changer for productivity. But we need to reinvest the time we save by using these tools on doing more of the uniquely human stuff. This, in large part, is about how we relate to others.

So what are some things you can do to start integrating this connective labour into your digital work day? Here are some actions: