South Africa, Nov. 9 -- I loved the idea then and I still do.

But as AI has taken over the conversation, I've been questioning if 'human touch' is still the differentiator we once believed, or maybe hoped, it was.

To say that AI has complicated this idea is an understatement. ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude are now on speed dial, ready to deliver the elements of human touch better than many client service people.

That's because AI is endlessly patient and attentive. It remembers what you tell it, doesn't get irritated when you ask the same question five different ways and happily responds to your anxious text at two in the morning, with salient solutions delivered in the right tone of voice.

And, increasingly, AI can make you feel that it ...