As AI changes how people learn and work, some human capabilities may weaken while others become more valuable or amplified through human-AI collaboration. The challenge is not simply identifying which human skills are disappearing but understanding how capabilities are evolving and how we can provide evidence for the capabilities through measurement.

This is not the first time we have seen technology transform knowledge work. Just like calculators and GPS navigation, AI has introduced a streamlined way to increase productivity. This has caused public discussion around whether AI will replace jobs and how it will impact human capability.

As these conversations accelerate, researchers are asking a deeper question: Which human capabilities rise, fall, persist or change as AI becomes embedded in education and work? While many discussions focus on tasks that AI can perform, the more important issue is understanding how human capabilities are evolving, which ones continue to matter for educational success and workforce readiness and which can be augmented through human-AI collaboration.

Understanding which human capabilities are changing is becoming essential for educators, employers and policy makers. To continue preparing learners and workers for the future, understanding which human capabilities are growing and declining has never been more important.

Skill rot occurs when a person’s proficiency in a human capability declines because it is no longer regularly exercised. This tends to happen when technology takes a front seat and individuals become dependent on external tools. Some examples include mental calculation, information recall and writing mechanics.

The need for mental math has weakened due to calculators, and the skill of mental calculation shifted from computing to interpreting. Information recall and the need to exercise memory lessened due to search engines providing readily available information and AI has impacted writing skills by providing content at our fingertips.

However, skill rot does not necessarily mean a capability fully disappears. In many cases, the execution of a task becomes less important while higher-order aspects of the capability remain valuable. For example, AI may reduce the time spent drafting routine content, but the ability to organize ideas, communicate clearly, evaluate information and tailor messages to audiences remains a critical human capability.

Skill augmentation occurs when technology expands a person’s ability to accomplish a task while the human remains central to the outcome. Some examples of skill augmentation include research, communication, and problem-solving. Though AI may be able to provide a summarized research report, draft an email or identify possible solutions to problems, it is essential that humans still use their sense of judgment, critical evaluation and interpretation to create the most successful outcome.

AI can be used as a capability booster when the human-AI collaboration works together as one power source.

This idea is often referred to as human-AI complementarity. Rather than replacing human capability, AI can amplify it by helping people process information, generate ideas, explore alternatives and work more efficiently. As AI assumes more routine tasks, human capabilities like critical thinking, adaptability, communication, creativity and decision-making may become even more valuable because they help people evaluate and apply AI-generated outputs effectively.

Skill rot and skill augmentation are frequently viewed as opposites, but they are often part of the same process. AI automates activities, which may cause people to lose opportunities or practice certain routine skills, but simultaneously, they are gaining new capabilities for future use.

For example, AI technology may reduce the need to draft routine content from scratch, but it can increase the importance of organizing ideas, evaluating information, exercising judgment and adapting messages for different audiences. The challenge of understanding which aspects of human capability are declining and which are enduring is becoming more valuable to education and workplace readiness.

Measuring both skill rot and skill augmentation helps identify areas in which human capability is declining, evolving, or becoming more or less valuable. Unlike claims and assumptions, scientific research distinguishes skill rot from skill transformation and helps us evaluate how to support success in education, work and upward mobility alongside the rise of AI.

For example, AI may reduce the need for routine writing tasks, but capabilities such as organizing ideas, communicating effectively, and exercising judgment may remain just as important or become even more valuable. Measurement provides the evidence needed to identify these changes and understand what they mean for learners and workers.

By defining human capabilities and identifying their importance, measurement can help separate skill rot from skill evolution and create a stronger foundation for education and employment. It also helps researchers determine which capabilities remain essential to educational success, workforce readiness, and upward mobility. Without rigorous measurement, it’s impossible to know whether a skill is truly rotting, being segmented or simply evolving into something new.

Valid and timely measurement provides evidence of skill changes. In an educational setting, interventions should be provided when evidence of unintended skill rot occurs. For example, learners should not yield critical thinking and analytical reasoning to AI as these are essential skills for learners to harness the power of unique human skills.

There are some important implications to consider when it comes to AI in education and the workforce. Educational organizations may have to rethink what readiness means for future success. Educators and workplace leaders may have to put a bigger emphasis on human capabilities to continue to develop and exercise those skills.

As AI continues to assist in routine tasks within schools and the workforce, leaders may need to work harder to make human capabilities remain a valuable asset for success. By making skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, adaptability, and self-regulation a priority in education and workplace environments, these capabilities become regularly exercised and can work side-by-side with AI systems for the best output. The growing need for creativity, leadership, and resilience within educational and workforce environments proves that these valuable human capabilities create new pathways for career development and future success in the workforce.

Readiness is no longer just the ability to perform tasks; it is the ability to apply human capabilities effectively in new settings. In an AI-shaped world with automated routines, it is essential to continue exercising human capabilities for an ever-changing environment. The combination of unique human capabilities and AI is the only way to successfully demonstrate progress with technology and success in education and work.

We must recognize that future learners will likely need both human capabilities and the ability to work alongside technology. Evaluating AI-generated information, recognizing errors, exercising judgment and making informed decisions may come with challenges, but will remain important to overall success.

AI will continue to reshape education and work. It is important to shift the question from “which jobs will disappear?” to “how are human capabilities changing?” to cope with the changes and become future proof.

Understanding the difference requires careful measurement, research-based evidence, and a clear understanding of which capabilities continue to support readiness, opportunity and mobility. By focusing on the science of human capability, we can move beyond predictions about the future and toward a deeper understanding of what enables individuals to thrive in an AI-driven world.