How to measure and develop key life skills in the age of AI

/in /by

The past November 27 a key meeting was held as part of the RETOS Program of the Colombian Association of Universities (ASCUN). Under the title “How to measure and develop the key competences for life in the age of AI?”, the webinar brought together universities, talent teams and educational leaders to address a common challenge: to better understand socio-emotional competences (SES) and promote their development with the support of ethical, evidence-based artificial intelligence.

The event was led by María Beunza, CEO of Human AI Tech and lecturer at the University of Navarra, and Beatriz Abad, R&D director at Human AI Tech, and included two guest speakers of reference:

  • Eliana García, headhunter and founder of Mentha Executive Search.
  • Andrés Hernán Mejía Villa, director of the Master’s degrees in Strategic Management and Innovation Management at the University of La Sabana.

1. A paradigm shift: human skills as the differential in the age of AI

The session began with a clear idea: technology advances, but the human value continues to be the difference.

Beatriz Abad recalled with evidence that:

  • Only 2% of professional success is explained by IQ, according to James Heckman.
  • Non-cognitive skills (empathy, emotional regulation, resilience, collaboration…) better predict performance, leadership and well-being than cognitive skills.
  • 50% of future jobs will demand socio-emotional competences, according to the World Economic Forum.
  • The global mental health crisis represents losses of 1 trillion dollars per year in productivity.

“That thing we call soft is, in reality, the core of human development,” stressed Abad.

2. The evidence behind socio-emotional development: models, history and science

The speaker offered a journey through the main scientific models:

Classical emotional-intelligence models

  • Salovey and Mayer (ability model): perceive, use, understand and regulate emotions.
  • Trait models (Petrides–Furnham): emotional self-perceptions evaluated through questionnaires.
  • Mixed models (Goleman, Bisquerra, Bar-On): combine competences, traits and skills to explain human functioning.

Technological evolution in measurement

Beatriz explained the three generations that have enabled evaluating SES with AI:

  1. Psychological dictionaries for automated language analysis.
  2. Correlation between texts and standardized personality tests.
  3. Deep learning, which understands complex linguistic patterns and context.

This advance allows moving from the subjectivity of tests to more objective, fast measurements based on a person’s natural language.

3. The Human AI proposal: measure in seconds to develop a lifetime

María Beunza presented the AI assistant developed by Human AI Tech:

  • It evaluates 35 socio-emotional competences in 3 seconds.
  • It does so based on texts written by the person (800–1000 words).
  • Generates personalized reports, based on the OCEAN model and validated in scientific publications.
  • Offers concrete development recommendations, not just a diagnosis.

Beunza insisted on a principle:

“AI doesn’t replace: it accompanies, illuminates and empowers.”

The aim is not to automate decisions, but to strengthen human agency — helping students and professionals to better know themselves and grow in a personalized way.

4. Guest voices: university and business facing new challenges

Andrés Mejía (University of La Sabana): “The future of education will be socio-emotional or it won’t be”
Mejía presented Symphony, a project of the University of La Sabana within its vision of a third-generation university. Integrating AI to measure SES allows:

  • Reorienting academic counseling programs.
  • Detecting socio-emotional needs invisible to teachers.
  • Redesigning formative processes based on real data from students.
  • Making more humane and better informed decisions.

Eliana García (Mentha Executive Search): “AI is not a trend: it multiplies the impact of talent”
From the business sector’s perspective, García argued that:

  • Recruiters “no longer seek only CVs: they look for people capable of working with others, adapting, innovating and leading.”
  • AI is an ally to overcome self-perception biases, especially in areas like leadership or entrepreneurship.
  • Organizations that invest in socio-emotional competences obtain better results in productivity, work climate and talent retention.

5. Real cases where AI + SES are transforming education and employability

The speakers shared applied experiences in Ibero-American and European universities:

  • Red Win: studies of innovative and entrepreneurial profiles in 6 Ibero-American universities.
  • A university in Argentina: training 10,000 people for technological jobs.
  • University of La Rioja: micro-credentials in employability based on SES.
  • University of Navarra: evaluation of skills in innovation and entrepreneurship programs.

These cases show a clear trend: ethical AI can scale socio-emotional evaluation without losing human depth.

6. Conclusion of the webinar: measuring is the first step toward transformation

The session closed with a shared message by all:

“Socio-emotional competences are not optional. They are the foundation of well-being, employability and leadership in the age of AI.”

Measuring them is not an end in itself, but a means to:

  • Better support.
  • Personalize training.
  • Reduce inequalities.
  • Anticipate difficulties.
  • Empower talent.

The webinar made clear that Latin America — and in particular Colombia — is in a strategic moment to lead this transformation from education, business and innovation.