AI is increasingly penetrating deeply into the labor market, many people worry that machines will replace millions of jobs in the future. However, a new study from AI company GoHumanize (headquartered in the US) shows that there are still human-centered skills that technology can hardly completely copy.
The report released in May 2026 predicts that about 25% of jobs may be automated in the next decade. However, research affirms that skills related to emotions, judgment, social communication and trust building will still play an important role in an AI-powered economy.
To conduct the study, experts analyzed 60 vocational skills based on four criteria including: the level of importance given by employers, frequency of appearance in recruitment news, ability to resist automation and level of human dependence.
The results showed that skills related to human management and handling social situations have significantly higher "AI resistance" than technical skills or data analysis.
Meanwhile, many jobs related to data that are currently very sought after are in the group most easily automated by AI.
Leading the list is leadership skills. The report said that this skill is highly appreciated by employers, reaching 95/100 points for importance.
Although AI can support processing some management tasks, factors such as inspiring, resolving conflicts, promoting team spirit or making decisions in complex circumstances still largely depend on humans.
The study scored the level of human-dependent leadership skills up to 93/100 points. Positions such as CEO, principal, military officer or senior manager are said to still be difficult to replace with machines in the near future.
Ranked second is the ability to collaborate and work in groups. According to research, there are currently nearly 4 million job postings requiring this skill. Researchers believe that effective teamwork is not only about dividing work but also related to understanding emotions, adapting communication styles and building trust between individuals.
Negotiation skills rank third in the list of highly sustainable competencies against the AI wave. The report said nearly 2.8 million job postings are looking for people with good negotiation skills.
In addition, training and mentoring are also considered difficult areas to automate. Researchers believe that mentors need to understand whether an individual is having difficulties due to lack of knowledge, motivational loss, or lack of spiritual support, which AI currently cannot do well.
Public presentation skills are also in the group with high anti-automation capabilities. The report said that more than 2.5 million job postings currently require communication or public speaking skills.
In the top group of skills that are difficult for AI to replace, there are also organizational leaders, human resources managers, emotional intelligence, communication and change management (which is the ability to help an organization, team or employee adapt to major changes).
