Athira Sethu
Kochi, 19 August 2025
Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing at a pace faster than expected. It is transforming industries, companies, and even the nature of how we work. In 2024, over 70% of organisations applied AI to at least one area of their activity. AI is an incredibly powerful tool now, yet experts believe there is still one ability that we are still largely human about, emotional intelligence (EQ). EQ is knowing, seeing, and working with emotions in ourselves and others.
For decades, AI was all about logic, numbers, and facts. AI could crunch information faster and better than a human being. But no more, as AI is now spreading into fields such as creativity, empathy, and emotional intelligence, abilities previously considered uniquely human. This has opened up a new link between AI and EQ, with questions about how humans and machines can collaborate.
EQ, popularized by psychologist Daniel Goleman, has a significant influence on leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. Individuals with high EQ tend to communicate effectively, handle stress effectively, and establish more effective relationships. In international and diverse workplaces, EQ also enables individuals to adapt to other cultures and social environments.
Surprisingly, AI is even learning to recognize emotions. Using technologies such as “affective computing,” AI is able to analyze facial expressions, vocal tone, writing patterns, or heart rate to make an educated guess about a person’s emotions. This kind of “emotion AI” is projected to explode over the next few years, with the worldwide market likely to exceed 9 billion dollars by 2030.
Together, AI and EQ can produce significant benefits. In the workplace, AI can allow managers to monitor team mood and stop conflicts before they start. Emotion-aware AI can make customer chatbots answer more personally, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Even apps exist that encourage people to think about their emotions, offering them insight into what can make their own EQ stronger.
But there are problems. Human feelings are multifaceted and culturally, historically, and contextually informed. AI can get sarcasm or nuance wrong. And there are also ethics issues, privacy and the chance that companies might use emotional data to trick people.
That is why institutions such as ESCP Business School are educating tomorrow’s leaders the right way to use AI and also enhancing their emotional intelligence. Using simulations, mental health resources, and studies, ESCP is training future leaders to lead with both technology and compassion.
The future will not just be about smarter machines. It will depend on humans who can balance AI’s power with compassion, creativity, and ethics. In an AI-driven world, emotional intelligence will remain one of the most important skills for true leadership.
