The 'last human jobs': Why AI can't replace the labor of connection

In an era of accelerating automation, the nuanced work of human connection is under threat, according to Professor Allison Pugh's 2024 report, 'The Last Human Jobs.' Pugh defines "connective labor" as the skilled practice of reading, responding to, and nurturing others' thoughts and emotions, a form of work that is inherently human and essential for building genuine relationships.

This vital labor, Pugh explains, is found across a vast spectrum of professions, from therapists and doctors to lawyers, salespeople, and even police officers. It forms the bedrock of effective care, fostering "therapeutic alliances" in medicine and binding individuals into a larger community. Connective labor involves not just emotional intelligence but also physical interaction, the ability to read subtle cues, manage one's own emotional responses, and adapt spontaneously. Yet, as technology advances, this work is becoming increasingly invisible and precarious.

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Connective labor is the skilled practice of reading and responding to the thoughts and emotions of others, and it produces outcomes.

Pugh highlights how the rise of the gig economy and platform-based work has led to the standardization and devaluing of connective labor. Workers in roles like childcare, elder care, or even app-based counseling are often treated as interchangeable, their work dictated by algorithms rather than human judgment. This algorithmic control strips workers of autonomy and forces them to constantly "prove their humanity," as one woman interviewed for the study experienced when asked if she was a robot.

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When asked 'Are you a robot?', I had to try to prove I was human.

The implications of devaluing connective labor are profound. Pugh warns of a future where automation might create a stark divide: those in lower social strata provide direct connective labor while receiving automated services, and those at the top benefit from genuine human connection. This trajectory risks not only the subjectification of workers but also their potential enslavement to automated systems. Pugh argues that the focus on efficiency, metrics, and standardization in modern work environments actively undermines the time and capacity needed for genuine listening and care, ultimately leading to the erosion of connective labor itself.

To counter this trend, Pugh advocates for a fight to preserve "social health." This involves recognizing the intrinsic value of connective labor within public spaces and educational systems. Without conscious effort to protect and promote these human-centered interactions, she fears that humans will increasingly be relegated to a subservient role, merely facilitating the smooth operation of AI and automated processes, rather than engaging in meaningful human connection.

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People in subordinate positions in the social structure will provide direct connective labor to those in superior positions, while they themselves will have to receive automated services.