One of the reasons that people with emotional intelligence are expected to fare better in an AI world is that EI supports creativity–a skill AI is not yet that great at.
An article in Psychology Today entitled Emotional Intelligence and Creativity gives a good rundown of the current research regarding the connection between emotional intelligence (EI) and creativity.
A meta-analysis conducted in 2019 synthesized findings from multiple studies to try to determine whether and how EI is associated with creativity. It concluded that the relationship exists but is modest. Emotionally intelligent people may be more creative because they (1) use emotional information to generate ideas, (2) are more flexible in their thinking by navigating more easily through various emotional states that can fuel new ideas, and (3) can push through emotional barriers like anxiety or frustration to achieve more creative thinking.
A 2025 article furthered those findings by showing that enhanced self-awareness, emotional regulation, and empathy, all developed through EI, provide for more innovative problem-solving. Enhanced self-awareness helps channel feelings into creative expression; emotional regulation helps persevere through creative obstacles; EI fosters empathy for diverse perspectives. Further, EI helps develop the resilience necessary to recover from setbacks, viewing them as opportunities to learn.
A 2025 systematic review analyzed 23 research studies and found that EI is positively associated with creativity in adults, noting the importance of emotional competencies to enhance creativity in social contexts.
Another advantage from good self-management that is often cited in creativity studies is the ability to focus energy and enter into deep flow states where creative work thrives.
Emotional intelligence offers people abilities like empathy and resilience that virtual agents have not yet perfected. But creativity may be the most important stronghold of human excellence as we keep progressing into a more AI-encompassing world.