AI, Meet Maslow and His Hierarchy of Needs and Value
Forbes – March 19, 2025
By Barry Libert, Contributor
In 1943, Abraham Maslow published his foundational work on the hierarchy of human needs. Maslow noted that human needs span from tangible — food and water (sustenance) — to intangible — self-esteem and creativity (self actualization), with intangible needs being the most valuable and scalable once one’s tangible needs are met.
If Maslow was alive today, he would probably NOT be surprised to discover that a similar progression has developed in the world of business and industry. Just like our personal needs have migrated from food and water to structures (buildings and airports) and services (lawyers and doctors), so have businesses evolved to meet and deliver against our newer requirements.
