Dawn of the Human-Only Era: Reframing Human-Centric AI and Workforce Values in the Age of Automation and Symbiosis

This policy brief presents the key outcomes and recommendations from the roundtable session “Dawn of the Human-Only Era”, held during the IFAC MIM 2025 conference in Trondheim, Norway. Supported by the Horizon Europe project SkillAIbility, the session explored how artificial intelligence (AI) can be intentionally integrated into human-centric systems without displacing human agency or values. Experts from academia, industry, and policy debated how to ensure AI enhances — rather than replaces — human work, education, and decision-making. The brief highlights critical findings on transparent and participatory AI, the enduring importance of human oversight, and the need for structural changes in workforce design, education, and regulation. It also outlines actionable policy recommendations focused on explainable AI, hybrid human-AI collaboration models, ethics education, and inclusive governance mechanisms. The document calls for urgent alignment between technological development and forward-looking public policy to build a future where AI supports human empowerment and shared societal values.