“Human Umami” … what humans can offer, and AI cannot … like the “fifth taste” in cooking, human umami is subtle yet essential … it’s what gives augmented intelligence depth, richness, and resonance

August 22, 2025

AI is reshaping the way we live, work, and create. Algorithms now draft marketing copy, suggest medical treatments, trade stocks, and design products. In the rush to harness these tools, a fear lingers: what remains for humans to contribute? Yet, instead of competing head-to-head with machines, the most forward-thinking companies are learning to blend human and artificial intelligence — creating what many call augmented intelligence.

In this partnership, AI provides speed, scale, and precision. But what truly unlocks value is the “human umami” … the unique, hard-to-replicate contribution that people bring. Like the “fifth taste” in cooking, human umami is subtle yet essential. It’s what gives augmented intelligence depth, richness, and resonance.

Umami is often called the “fifth taste.” It’s subtle, savory, and hard to define—less obvious than sweet, salty, sour, or bitter, but it makes food richer, deeper, and more satisfying. Without umami, a dish might still be edible, but it lacks depth, resonance, and completeness.

When applied to people, “human umami” means the secret ingredient humans bring that artificial intelligence cannot replicate. AI can be faster, more accurate, more scalable—but it lacks the deep flavour of humanity.

So, what is this “human umami”, and how are organisations using it to build advantage?

Meaning-making … asking “why”

Machines can analyze billions of data points in seconds, but they don’t care what any of it means. Humans, by contrast, are wired for meaning. We seek context, purpose, and narrative.

In healthcare, for instance, AI systems can flag anomalies in scans with remarkable accuracy. But it is the doctor who explains the diagnosis, who situates it in the patient’s life, and who helps them understand why the treatment matters. The human role is not just technical — it’s about translating data into stories people can act on.

Some companies are explicitly recognizing this. Philips, which has repositioned itself around health technology, frames its AI solutions not just as diagnostic tools but as decision support for clinicians. The machine sees, but the human interprets.

Moral and ethical judgment … the compass

AI is indifferent to ethics. It optimizes for the objectives it is given. If those objectives are flawed, biased, or incomplete, the results can be harmful. Humans are the ones who bring a moral compass to augmented intelligence.

Consider the financial sector. Algorithmic trading systems are capable of executing thousands of trades per second. But left unchecked, they can destabilize markets or exploit vulnerabilities. That’s why regulators and firms alike rely on human oversight, embedding ethical considerations into system design.

Microsoft has tried to institutionalize this through its Office of Responsible AI, ensuring every deployment is reviewed not just for functionality but for fairness, transparency, and safety. Here, human umami means setting the rules of the game and taking responsibility for consequences.

Creative leaps and intuition … the sparks

AI is powerful at remixing what already exists. But true breakthroughs — the leap across domains, the imaginative spark — remain stubbornly human.

Take product design. When Nike designs a new sneaker, it may use AI to simulate materials or predict customer demand. Yet the spark of originality — combining fashion, sport, culture, and emotion — comes from human designers who sense what might resonate next. AI can assist, but it cannot originate in the way humans do.

Some firms are now using this deliberately. Adobe’s “Firefly” AI tools are marketed not as replacements for designers but as amplifiers of creativity. The human sets direction, experiments with wild ideas, and makes judgment calls; the machine speeds up iterations. It’s a dance, not a substitution.

Emotional resonance … feeling and belonging

Perhaps the sharpest line between human and artificial intelligence is emotional depth. Machines can simulate empathy — they can detect sentiment, adjust tone, and mimic warmth. But only humans can truly feel and share in another’s joy, grief, or awe.

In customer service, many companies now use AI chatbots to handle basic queries. Yet when emotions run high — a lost shipment, a medical emergency, a bereavement — customers crave human connection. Airlines like Delta still emphasize the human touch in customer care, especially during disruptions, while using AI in the background to give staff faster insights.

Leaders, too, rely on emotional resonance. Satya Nadella at Microsoft or Mary Barra at GM are not simply steering organizations strategically; they are inspiring belief, building trust, and rallying teams. This is something no machine can replicate.

Contextual wisdom … navigating grey zones

AI thrives on patterns and rules. But real life is full of nuance, contradiction, and ambiguity. Humans excel in grey zones, where judgment matters more than calculation.

Law firms, for instance, are increasingly adopting AI to sift through case law or draft routine contracts. But when cases hinge on cultural nuance, precedent interpretation, or the delicate reading of intent, human lawyers still lead. The “wisdom” to know when rules should bend — or when a precedent should be challenged — remains human territory.

In retail, too, contextual wisdom matters. AI can recommend products, but only a human can grasp the subtleties of cultural trends or ethical backlash. Consider Patagonia: its decision to discourage over-consumption, or to donate profits to environmental causes, wasn’t the product of a data model. It was a judgment rooted in values and context.

Agency and vision … choosing the future

The most profound element of human umami is agency. Machines don’t define goals; they pursue them. Humans, by contrast, imagine futures, set ambitions, and decide what matters.

AI can simulate thousands of scenarios for a city’s energy grid. But it is human leaders who choose whether the priority is lowest cost, lowest emissions, or most resilient supply. That choice is not computational — it is political, ethical, and visionary.

Tesla, for example, uses immense AI capabilities in self-driving technology. But the larger vision — to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy — is distinctly human. Elon Musk’s bold (sometimes polarizing) ambition frames the work; the AI merely enables it.

Companies harnessing “Human Umami”

Forward-looking organizations are beginning to formalize the role of human umami in augmented intelligence:

IDEO, the design firm, blends machine learning into its design process but insists that the most valuable ideas come from empathic design research — understanding people’s unarticulated needs through observation and conversation.
Unilever uses AI to optimize supply chains but balances it with human oversight on sustainability trade-offs, ensuring the pursuit of efficiency does not erode ethical commitments.
DBS Bank in Singapore has introduced AI for fraud detection and personalized finance, but it also trains its employees in “human skills” — storytelling, ethical reasoning, empathy — to complement the technology.
L’Oréal uses AI to help customers test beauty products virtually, but the brand’s resonance rests on human creativity in campaigns and cultural relevance in messaging.

These companies recognize that technology alone is not enough. What differentiates them is their ability to blend — to combine machine efficiency with human judgment, imagination, and care.

The future of AI

As AI grows ever more capable, the temptation will be to let machines take over more tasks. But the organizations that thrive will be those that nurture the human umami — the meaning, ethics, creativity, empathy, wisdom, and agency that only people can bring.

In practice, this means redesigning work. Rather than asking “What can AI replace?” the better question is “How can AI amplify what humans do best?” It means investing in human skills — not just technical upskilling, but deepening our capacities for imagination, ethics, and emotional intelligence. And it means leaders articulating bold visions that machines can never supply.

Human umami is not a relic to be protected against automation. It is the essential ingredient that makes augmented intelligence flavorful, meaningful, and humane. Without it, AI is efficient but hollow. With it, we create a partnership that is not only more productive but also more purposeful.

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