The Human Operating System: Navigating AI adoption at a human pace 

Decades ago, I started my nonprofit tech career as a circuit rider, traveling from nonprofit to nonprofit  to help people set up their desktops and modems, install their productivity software, and learn the basics of digital work. I provided tech support, too. If something went wrong, as the old joke went: “Problem exists between the keyboard and the chair (PEBKAC).” In other words, human error. 

Today, nonprofits are faced with the challenge of navigating the flood of AI updates and acquiring AI skills at a breakneck pace. And here’s the twist: What once was seen as the problem “between the keyboard and the chair” has become the solution: a “Human Operating System” if you will. It’s the humanware—our judgment, our durable skills, and our peer networks—that will help us make sense of and navigate a world where we live and work alongside AI. 

Fast-paced development of AI tools is creating FOBO 

We’re in the middle of a perfect storm: rapid AI tool development colliding with pressure to get AI-skilled and adopt AI as quickly as possible. FOBO (fear of being obsolete) is generating stress, anxiety, and fear. 

A recent Section AI Proficiency Report found that over the last six months, AI knowledge scores have dropped or stagnated across the board…28% of the workforce admit they actively limit their AI use because they don’t know how to use it.” This aligns with research on AI readiness and adoption in the nonprofit sector from GivingTuesday and ServiceNowOrg. According to LinkedIn Research, 51% of professionals say “learning AI feels like another job,” and 41% say the current pace of change is taking a toll on their well-being. It’s not just about knowledge gaps and skill-building confidence; it’s also about well-being.  

As someone who works every day to help nonprofit staff build a habit of using AI daily, I know many are under pressure to learn fast while simultaneously keeping up with their existing workloads. It takes time to learn to identify and test use cases to internalize skills such as AI prompting, and then more time to make it a daily habit so their organization can reap the benefits of saving time or working smarter. That’s how we can build a Human Operating System that centers nonprofit staff and their work. 

Opting out is not the solution 

Opting out isn’t a realistic choice when AI is being woven into workplace expectations and broader adoption across society. In the for-profit sector research, U.S. executives say they plan to factor employees’ AI skills into performance reviews and hiring criteria over the next year.  

By contrast, the nonprofit sector still has a high degree of “shadow AI use” (individuals using it without organizational oversight, training, or safety protocols), with only 14% feeling confident with AI tools, according to a TechSoup survey of 240 nonprofits professionals. In the nonprofit sector, we have fear-based avoidance. Avoidance only deepens the problem—it leaves staff underprepared, widens knowledge gaps, and increases the risks of AI misuse. What we need are ethical guidelines, strategies, and training. 

The Human Operating System will not become obsolete 

The way to navigate isn’t to opt out, whether you fear AI strategy or the accelerated pace leads to feeling more overwhelmed. It isn’t about being required to adopt the fast pace of AI development because organizations fear being left behind. It’s to move smarter and intentionally at the pace of humans. 

Think of this as the “Human Operating System.” Like any OS, it needs patches, updates, and stability. But the core isn’t code—it’s people. It’s our judgment, our networks, and our durable human skills (communication, creativity, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and decision making). The Human Operating System isn’t about opting out of AI but integrating it in ways that strengthen our work instead of overwhelming it. It gives us a way to stay grounded, connected, and effective. 

• Networks matter most. LinkedIn research shows professionals turn first to their colleagues and peers, not AI or search engines, for advice when they feel overwhelmed. Our professional networks are the filters, debuggers, and guides that help us make sense of change. 
• Durable human skills are anchors. As Ross Dawson argues in Thriving on Overload, the way to navigate a flood of new feature updates and information is through purpose, framing, filtering, attention, and synthesis. These aren’t “AI skills” but rather human skills that last and don’t become obsolete like technology. 
• Human-paced learning. Instead of chasing every new feature or release, we can focus our learning on what’s impactful and useful. We learn more effectively by taking time to experiment, reflect, and share with others. That’s how new skills like AI and Human collaboration  stick. 

The pace of AI adoption can feel dizzying. But just as circuit riders once helped nonprofits get online decades ago, today our networks and durable human skills can help us navigate the AI era in a way that enhances the impact of our work. 

AI runs at machine pace. We thrive at human pace. And what’s between the keyboard and the chair today? Not the problem anymore but the solution. 

Photo credit: Edwin Tan/Getty Images