What does it mean to be human? It is the year 2045, and machines write books, design strategies, and make decisions with a precision no one can match. And yet, amidst this apparent reign of technical perfection, people continue to seek something machines cannot offer. Today, we begin a series of reflections on those qualities that remain beyond the reach of automation. In this first installment, we dive into that inexact blend of intuition, history, and emotion that is empathy—a realm only we can inhabit.
In 1965, Irving John Good, a British mathematician and collaborator of Alan Turing at Bletchley Park, published Speculations Concerning the First Ultraintelligent Machine. In this essay, he introduced the concept of the "intelligence explosion": the idea that a machine superior in intellectual capacities could trigger exponential progress, rendering human intervention obsolete.
"Let an ultraintelligent machine be defined as a machine that can far surpass all the intellectual activities of any man however clever. Since the design of machines is one of these intellectual activities, an ultraintelligent machine could design even better machines; there would then unquestionably be an 'intelligence explosion,' and the intelligence of man would be left far behind. Thus, the first ultraintelligent machine is the last invention that man need ever make."
Irving John Good
This concept left an indelible mark on science fiction while reshaping collective perceptions of the future of artificial intelligence. During the production of 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968, Stanley Kubrick consulted Good to envision what the supercomputers of the future might look like. From these conversations emerged HAL 9000, an artificial intelligence embodying the dilemmas that accompany the development of ultraintelligent machines—machines whose technological advancement enables them to make decisions with relentless precision but devoid of ethical or emotional awareness.
For Good, who had worked alongside Alan Turing in decoding the Enigma code during World War II, this futuristic vision was not merely a theoretical speculation. It was, rather, a warning: the capacity of machines to automate processes might one day extend to their own design, progressively displacing the strategic and creative roles that had, until then, been uniquely human.
The most revealing aspect of this text transcends the image of boundless artificial intelligence, posing an implicit question: where do we stand when machines are capable of performing our intellectual activities better than we can?
Good’s reflection goes beyond its historical context and speculative nature, becoming a strikingly accurate metaphor for our present. Today, machines are no longer confined to data processing or automating repetitive tasks; they generate art, design strategies, and optimize decisions at a speed that challenges us to redefine our purpose in the professional and creative realms. And yet, there remains a set of abilities that, by their very nature, are inherently human: empathy, intuition, ethics, and contextual creativity continue to lie beyond the reach of any algorithm.
In this series of articles, we will explore these irreplaceable capacities and how they can be integrated into a future shared with machines. Far from framing this as a competition or a fear of technological progress, we propose building a symbiotic relationship that amplifies the best of both worlds.
Of philia, sympathy, and intersubjectivity
Empathy, as we understand it today, is deeply rooted in the history of thought. In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle described philia (friendship) as the essential bond that sustains communal life. Beyond affection among friends, Aristotle saw philia as an ethical relationship that flourishes between those who cultivate virtue and recognize goodness in one another. By asserting that "a friend is another self," he emphasized how this relationship expands our understanding of ourselves, integrating us into a web of shared meanings.
Over time, this concept gave rise to sympathy, a term developed by David Hume in the 18th century (A Treatise of Human Nature). For Hume, sympathy was a natural mechanism that allows us to resonate with the emotional states of others, forming the foundation of morality. Adam Smith, a contemporary of Hume, argued that by imagining what others experience, we generate compassion and simultaneously refine our capacity to ethically judge our own actions (The Theory of Moral Sentiments).
In the 19th century, thinkers like Theodor Lipps adapted empathy to the realms of aesthetics and psychology, exploring it as a universal phenomenon that encompasses both our interactions with others and with the environment (Aesthetics: Psychology of the Beautiful and Art). He coined the term Einfühlung (endopathy, from endo, inward, and pathos, suffering or feeling), which initially described how humans project emotions onto artistic objects.
To conclude this brief journey through history, in the 20th century, phenomenology addressed empathy as a fundamental phenomenon for the relationship between subjectivities. Edith Stein, a disciple of Edmund Husserl, defined it as an act of openness that allows us to access another’s lived experience without losing sight of their otherness (On the Problem of Empathy). Martin Buber, meanwhile, placed empathy at the heart of his philosophy of dialogue, distinguishing authentic relationships, where the other is a full "Thou," from objectified relationships that reduce the other to an "It" (I and Thou).
From Aristotle’s philia to phenomenology, empathy has been defined as a bridge capable of transforming coexistence into true communion and turning otherness into a form of recognition. A multidimensional ability that intertwines the cognitive, the affective, the ethical, and the aesthetic.
Human or replicant?
Despite spectacular technological advancements, there are qualities that remain beyond the reach of machines. This is not a matter of technical limitations or insufficient data. These abilities are the result of our subjective experience, of a biology that feels and responds, and of a cultural history we have collectively constructed. They are what connect us to those around us, forging bonds that transcend functionality and define our identity as a species.
In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the novel by Philip K. Dick that inspired Blade Runner, humans differentiated androids through the Voight-Kampff test, an examination using a device capable of detecting empathy—defined as the ability to perceive another’s vulnerability and respond to it.
Empathy is the foundation upon which our coexistence is built and the source of meaning in our ethics. To look at another, to recognize their joy or their pain, reminds us that we inhabit a shared world, woven together by the fragility of our own emotions. Without this ability to resonate with one another, communities would be nothing more than scattered clusters of interests, incapable of sustaining the complexity of communal life.
Here lies the machines’ most evident frontier. While artificial intelligence has achieved astounding advances in simulating sensitive responses, these lack the substance that only lived experience can provide. Empathy arises from having traversed landscapes of upheaval, allowing us to comprehend, through our own vulnerability, the vulnerability of others.
Imagine a moment of crisis: someone seeking solace after an irreparable loss. A system might respond with carefully crafted phrases, even tailored to the appropriate tone, but it would never share the weight of the silence that envelops that moment, nor would it truly recognize the pain within it. Empathy remains one of the most powerful expressions of humanity, for it is part of the fabric that binds us and transcends any attempt at quantification or emulation.
But this capacity, so intrinsically ours, is also the lens through which we conceive our tools, our structures, and, ultimately, the world we inhabit. It is here that the act of designing becomes a terrain for ethical innovation—a space where we can project our empathy not only in what we create but in how we choose to create it.
Designing with empathy
What happens when design stops focusing solely on solving functional problems and instead aspires to humanize what it proposes?
Design transcends the mere creation of solutions. It is a constant search for purpose that redefines its practice, anchoring it in the human experience. In this act, imagination and commitment merge, transforming abstract ideas into experiences that connect people with their environment and with themselves. When empathy is placed at the heart of this process, design is elevated, becoming a practice that prioritizes dignity and relationships over mere utility.
Platforms designed with empathy could redefine connection, shifting from passive time in front of a screen to spaces that foster more meaningful relationships. For instance, initiatives like Crisis Text Line, a global emotional support service, use artificial intelligence to prioritize urgent cases, but human contact remains at the center of its intervention. Here, technology does not replace the act of listening but amplifies it, enabling faster and deeper connections.
Another example of a digital environment that prioritizes well-being and introspection is Headspace, a meditation app designed to guide mindfulness sessions and teach users how to understand and manage their emotions. Tools like this transcend the initial goal of "offering a product" and become platforms that nurture the relationship between individuals and their own well-being.
By applying empathy, design embraces the ambiguity that defines our experiences. Not everything can be resolved with data or predicted by algorithms; silences, pauses, and unexplored emotions are precisely the spaces where our complexity is revealed. For example, initiatives like The Human Library, a social project where people "lend" their stories as books for personal conversations, show how experience design can address the gray areas of interaction, fostering empathy and deeper connections.
What does Human·X propose?
Human·X views design as a process deeply rooted in empathy, where technology is not an end but a means to create meaningful and sustainable experiences.
Empathy guides every step of our processes, from identifying needs to implementing solutions that reflect the human experience. We recognize that the conscious and efficient use of technology, beyond optimizing workflows, returns valuable time to people: a resource that deserves to be used to strengthen relationships, cultivate potential, and improve coexistence.
Elevating the architects of change
An example of this philosophy is Elevate·X, our program designed to identify change agents within organizations. These individuals, who stand out for their performance and influence, are equipped with tools and self-awareness experiences that not only enhance their capabilities but also help them understand their role within the organizational ecosystem. Through personalized courses and content, we aim to transform these agents into catalysts for the greater good, fostering a positive impact that extends beyond the immediate.
Redesigning time
In the business realm, empathy drives us to approach automation from a holistic perspective. We understand that managing change is complex, particularly when deeply entrenched structures are involved. That’s why, instead of imposing disruptive transformations, we begin by optimizing what already exists and proposing gradual technological advancements. But we don’t stop there: we guide our clients to make the most of their optimized time, offering personalized ideas that connect technological efficiency with well-being.
Communities that care are living ecosystems
Empathy is also at the core of our content and communication strategies. We champion safe and exclusive digital communities that facilitate direct interaction between brands and people. In these spaces, the Community Manager becomes an empathetic interlocutor who builds authentic relationships and strengthens deep connections with the audience.
Every workflow, decision, and interaction stems from a vision centered on humanity and what connects us. Technologies, whether emerging or traditional, reach their true potential when they amplify what defines us as a society: our capacity to connect, collaborate, and care.
In the next article, we will explore the next irreplaceable quality: ethics. Stay tuned!