Warren Buffett says this 1 skill will multiply your success. In the AI age, it’s more valuable than ever

Warren Buffett has spent decades dispensing simple advice that tends to age remarkably well. One quote has become even more relevant in 2026 than when Buffett first shared it. In an era where AI can write emails, summarize meetings, draft business plans, and generate presentations in seconds, the ability to communicate as a human has become a genuine competitive advantage. Speaking to a Stanford graduate many years ago, Buffett offered this advice: At your age, the best way you can improve yourself is to learn to communicate better. Your results in life will be magnified if you can communicate them better. The only diploma I hang in my office is the communications diploma I got from Dale Carnegie in 1952. Buffett added that “without good communication skills, you won’t be able to convince people to follow you, even though you see over the mountain and they don’t.” The value of human communication While Buffett’s advice sounds obvious, its value has skyrocketed in the AI era. AI can generate business plans, write marketing copy, analyze spreadsheets, summarize research, and even produce software code in seconds. What it can’t do is earn trust, inspire commitment, navigate conflict,…