ABSTRACT
This chapter traces the question if socio-emotional skills are a core advantage of humans over machines. It is shown that automatable tasks are largely deemed to be drudgework. Such drudgework follows repeatable patterns. It is shown that if drudgework is automated in professional work, this changes the skill’s profile required for professionals and structures in which these professionals work. It is shown how socio-emotional skills are constructed as a core advantage of humans over machines. While socio-emotional skills are often gendered in general discussions, this was rarely the case in this research. The chapter provides an analysis of how machines are used to train and assess socio-emotional skills such as in VR training. It is shown that the idea that socio-emotional skills are a unique human advantage over machines might be more complicated. Socio-emotional skills follow patterns that can and are being automated. However, automating socio-emotional skills might be deemed as socially desirable.
