Workplaces are rushing to clarify the unique strengths humans bring in the AI age. Right now, we need individuals to think bravely and collaborate with courage. Yet Americans are grappling with catastrophic levels of , , and . Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy notes that loneliness now poses a mortality risk on par with

As AI reshapes everything from schools to corporate boardrooms, we’re overlooking the single human edge no tech can replicate: our ability to form connections.

In classrooms, workplaces, and online spaces alike, we’re witnessing a worrying trend: brilliant minds are held back by systems that render people invisible and set them against each other. Students come to campus with exceptional talent but deep uncertainty about whether they fit in. Workers collaborate remotely without the frameworks that nurture trust. Online, prioritize anger over empathy, turning differences into rifts and disagreements into matters of identity. The outcome is clear: any system—whether a classroom or social media platform—rooted in isolation will let us down.

of young adults say they experience ongoing loneliness. More than half of U.S. workers report their workplace . Teen depression rates have nearly over the past 10 years. Men are dealing with of suicide, overdose, and isolation.

This isn’t merely a socio-emotional crisis. It’s a talent crisis, an innovation crisis, and—indeed—a crisis for democracy.

In STEM—the field tasked with solving humanity’s most pressing challenges—disconnection is slowing innovation and limiting the diversity of people who help shape a better future.

Connection may seem intangible and is often dismissed as a “bonus,” but it’s actually a competitive edge. Teams with stronger trust, psychological safety, and a sense of belonging outperform those with more raw skill but weaker connections.

This is the strength of connection: it redefines what we can achieve.

Yet today, many programs that have expanded opportunities and strengthened communities are facing pressure. In education, workplaces, and government, initiatives meant to nurture belonging—like mentorship programs, community-building efforts, and equitable STEM pathways—are being cut back, renamed, or eliminated. In some states, new rules aim to restrict or get rid of programs designed to help students feel seen and supported. Even some Girls Who Code programs now face regulatory uncertainty.

These shifts reflect a larger trend. When we cut investments in connection—tearing down community programs, limiting access, or weakening the structures that build trust between people—the outcome is always the same: more division, more doubt, and more people forced to handle challenges alone. Disconnection doesn’t drive progress. It only empowers systems that profit from keeping us separated.

So what’s the next step?

We need to rebuild our systems to prioritize connection. That means recognizing emotional intelligence as a core expertise. Building classrooms and workplaces that value collaboration just as much as competition. Putting in place real strategies to care for people, teams, and ideas. Leading with empathy.

And it means asking a new question before we create anything—whether a company, a curriculum, or a piece of code: Does this boost our ability to connect? If yes, proceed. If not, start again.

Just as doctors take the Hippocratic Oath to “Do no harm,” technologists, engineers, and institutions need to prioritize connection. Because today, harm manifests as isolated students, broken communities, unengaged workers, and technologies that split us apart instead of bringing us together.

If we’re serious about restoring connection, we must act with the same diligence we apply to any major innovation. That means committing to five things: Fund connection initiatives; design for belonging, not just efficiency; measure social cohesion as carefully as productivity; audit algorithms for their effect on trust; and teach collaboration as a key skill in STEM and other fields.

These aren’t vague goals. They’re deliberate choices—and they’re fully within our control.

If we can design technologies that transform the world, we can also design systems that strengthen the ties between people. The future relies on us doing this work together.