Is Your Subject-Matter Expertise Still Relevant in the Age of AI?

When people ask me if expertise is still valuable in the age of AI, I smile. The truth is simple. Your subject-matter expertise has never been more relevant, more powerful, or more needed. Artificial intelligence can process data and generate words, but it cannot replicate lived experience. It cannot replace the wisdom built from years of challenges, failures, and breakthroughs. That is what makes you—and me—invaluable in this moment of technological change.

In this article (and in the YouTube video linked here and podcast episode linked here), I will share three reasons why human expertise matters more than ever. I will also give you three principles of personal connection that can transform your work. These are the strategies I have used to grow two successful businesses, build learning communities, and achieve what doctors once told me was impossible.

Reason #1 Experience beats information

AI is very good at generating information. It can summarize articles, produce lists, and mimic expertise. But information alone is not transformation. What sets us apart as humans is our lived experience. That lived experience allows us to translate information into context, guidance, and wisdom.

Let me share an example from my own journey. In 2019, I needed a platform to run my learning business. I thought I could design and build my own system. I spent six months sketching, getting quotes, and running numbers. The costs were overwhelming. A custom build would have run into six figures just for version one.

Instead, I pivoted. I chose to customize an existing system and still spent too much. Eventually, I found Kajabi (grab your free trial and bonuses here). That platform allowed me to scale my work, serve learners, and save money. AI could have told me about platforms, but it could not walk me through the emotional strain of spending thousands. It could not describe the feeling of wasting months chasing the wrong solution. My expertise comes from living through the pain, finding the right path, and helping others avoid my mistakes.

That is the power of experience. AI has information. You and I have the human story behind that information. And people will always need that story.

Reason #2 Wisdom over intelligence

I love Dungeons and Dragons. In that game, characters have both intelligence and wisdom scores. Intelligence measures raw knowledge. Wisdom reflects judgment and application. AI will always outscore us on intelligence. It can recall data instantly and scale faster than any brain. But wisdom belongs to us.

Wisdom comes from applying experience to real life. It is the ability to know what matters and what doesn’t. I had to learn wisdom through trial and error. Doctors told me at age four that I would never run. They told me asthma would hold me back forever. Over the years, I found ways to train my lungs, control my breathing, and run anyway. I failed many times. I suffered setbacks. But I also learned how to adapt, push forward, and eventually win a 100K ultramarathon.

When I share this story, I am not just offering information. I am offering the wisdom of lived experience. AI can say, “Here is how to run an ultramarathon.” But it cannot describe the despair of a hamstring cramp at mile 37. It cannot convey what it feels like to dig deep and finish strong anyway.

Wisdom is what allows us to guide others. And that guidance is something no machine can provide.

Reason #3 People trust people

Trust is the third reason your subject-matter expertise matters in the age of AI. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, most people still trust human experts over machines. This is especially true in education, health, and coaching. We want empathy, credibility, and vulnerability. We want to know someone has been where we are now.

AI cannot feel. It cannot make mistakes and grow from them. It cannot tell you, “I’ve been there.” People crave that human connection. When we teach, coach, or mentor, we bring more than information. We bring credibility built on hardship and resilience. That is why learners will continue to choose humans over bots when the stakes are high.

I use AI daily. It helps me draft ideas and analyze data. But when it comes to decisions, I lean on wisdom. I lean on other people. And I encourage you to do the same.

Principle #1: Share your story

Information is everywhere. Google, ChatGPT, and every AI model are built to give it instantly. What cannot be replaced is your story. Stories build trust. They frame expertise. They give meaning to the information we share.

When I tell people I won a 100K ultramarathon despite asthma, their eyes widen. They want to know how I did it. They want to know how I trained, how I breathed, how I kept going. If I just listed tips for running, most would scroll away. But when I lead with my story, people listen. They trust me because they see that I have lived what I teach.

The same is true for you. Your learners want to know who you are. They want to hear how you solved problems and overcame challenges. That is how you stand out from AI.

Principle #2: Be the guide

Content alone is not enough. We are drowning in content. What people need is a guide. They need a mentor who can point to the next step and encourage them forward.

I often compare this to Gandalf in Lord of the Rings or Yoda in Star Wars. These characters are not the heroes. The heroes are Frodo or Luke. But the guides shape their journeys. They give vision, confidence, and direction.

As experts, our job is to guide. We help learners see what is possible and support them as they act. AI can provide information, but it cannot offer belief. Only a human guide can do that.

Principle #3: Build community

The last principle is community. Humans are wired for connection. We need people around us who support and challenge us. We need spaces where we feel safe to share and grow.

I love running, but it is a lonely sport. That is why I balance solo training with group fitness classes. The presence of others energizes me. It reminds me I am not alone.

The same is true in learning. Online courses alone are not enough. People want learning experiences supported by community. That is why I created the Future-Proof Learning Community. It brings together educators, learning leaders, and course creators. Together, we learn, adapt, and grow. AI cannot provide that human network. Only we can.

So, is your expertise still relevant?

The answer is clear. Your subject-matter expertise is not just relevant. It is essential. AI will keep advancing. It will keep generating faster and smarter outputs. But it will never live your life. It will never feel your struggles. It will never offer your wisdom.

You are more valuable than ever because people need guides they can trust. They need communities where they can connect. They need stories that remind them what is possible.

So keep sharing your experience. Keep applying your wisdom. Keep guiding and building community. That is how we thrive in the age of AI.