Mastering AI: Why Ethics and Values Outweigh Technical Skill

We are living in an era that demands we become different from who we were yesterday. Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping our world, penetrating business, entertainment, and even our very efforts to understand and apply it wisely. Undeniably, it marks the beginning of a new age. Some go as far as calling it a new science — and rightly so. Like biology, mathematics, or physics, AI is now part of humanity’s expanding body of knowledge. Yet, unlike any science before it, AI transcends boundaries and encompasses them all. It is an extraordinary human creation that evolves on its own and, as we witness every day, continues to conquer new territory.

This article is not written by an AI expert — far from it. I am merely a curious and enthusiastic user, deeply grateful to those who explore and explain this field, helping the rest of us ride the crest of the wave. Because if we don’t learn to ride it, the wave will surely sweep us away and crush us against the ocean floor. My reflection today, however, goes beyond the technology itself. If AI is the ocean — vast, powerful, and unstoppable — then we are the surfers, harnessing its strength, mastering its momentum, and turning it into something spectacular.

Learning to Ride the Wave

How, then, can we achieve this level of mastery amid such overwhelming change?

It begins with a decision: the choice to step out of our comfort zone and dive into the water. This decision cannot be based solely on technical knowledge — AI is evolving too quickly for anyone to remain fully up to date. Instead, the decision must be rooted in willpower. Start with small waves and build up from there, but above all, you must enter the sea.

Next comes technique. Like surfing, mastery requires relentless practice: taking courses, attending lectures, reading, and — most importantly — experimenting again and again. Yet, even then, something fundamental will still be missing. This is where my deepest conviction lies: success with AI will depend less on technical skill and more on ethics, responsibility, and conscious leadership — the qualities that guide how we use this powerful tool and the innovations it will continue to spawn.

Beyond Tools: A Lesson from Engineering

I am a civil engineer who has devoted his career to structures, urban development, transportation networks, and large-scale infrastructure projects. I witnessed the transformation of structural design, from calculations done entirely by hand, to the first programmable calculators, to 36K personal computers, and now to tools once unimaginable. And I learned an important lesson: The greatest engineers are not those who master the latest technology, but those who use it to serve society.

AI will surpass even the most revolutionary changes we’ve seen in structural engineering software. That is why we, the professionals who will use it, must become greater than the tool itself. Even the most skilled surfer cannot outmatch the sea, but by anchoring themselves firmly in their values, they can harness its power. The same applies to AI: It is through strong values and ethical principles that we will use it to create projects that truly serve humanity.

The Human Values That Will Outlast Technology

Ethics is just the beginning. Honesty, teamwork, social responsibility, creativity, and effective communication must also guide us. And if we want these values to prevail — no matter how much the landscape changes — we must actively cultivate them. That means investing in adaptability, creativity, empathy, conscious leadership, and constructive communication, both in ourselves and our teams. There are excellent workshops and programs available to develop these skills. Let us study AI, learn how to craft intelligent prompts, and stay abreast of the latest advances. But let us never forget that these human values will continue to matter more than any technical skill.

I would even venture a prediction: A few years from now, only those leaders who have embraced and practiced these values will truly understand where AI stands, and they will be the ones able to master it. And if not master it, they will at least be able to stay afloat and harness its full potential. Time, as always, will tell.