Why Passion Is the Human Skill AI Can't Replace

I'm speaking at HubSpot's UNBOUND 2026 event in September. My talk, "The Fandom Playbook," will focus on building genuine human connections in an algorithmic world.

A big part of that is passion. Without it, you become replaceable, blending into a sea of sameness as AI commoditizes routine skills.

The HubSpot team asked me and four other UNBOUND 2026 speakers the same question: "As AI upskilling dominates the conversation, what's the one human skill people need most right now and aren't investing in enough?"

Most people treat business communication as a performance of competence, keeping personal enthusiasm separate from their work identity. As AI generates more competent-sounding output for everyone, the human behind the work becomes the differentiator. Most people have stopped showing that person.

Not sharing your passions – the genuine enthusiasm you bring to your work and what you love to do outside of it – means missing out on the most magnetic, human force in any team or organization. It's the counterpart to AI.

Passion is visible and contagious in ways that polished output isn't. The more AI levels the floor on execution quality, the more the ceiling belongs to people who show up with real enthusiasm.

Check out how the other speakers answered the question. David Meerman Scott, a business growth strategist and international bestselling author, will also share his perspective at the event.