Emma Bache urges policymakers at World Governments Summit to protect handwriting and human cognition as digital technologies reshape education and governance.
A world-leading forensic handwriting expert has today warned global policymakers that an over-reliance on digital communication and artificial intelligence risks eroding creativity, critical thinking and human judgement – unless governments actively protect foundational human skills, including handwriting.
Emma Bache, whose forensic handwriting analysis work supports governments, public institutions and global corporations, told world leaders at the World Governments Summit (WGS) in Dubai that critical human thinking, intuition and our ability to empathise on a personal and global level is in danger of being eroded by our reliance on technology.
Speaking to heads of state, ministers, policymakers and global leaders from more than 150 countries and the Duke of Edinburgh seated in the front row today, (Feb 3rd) in a speech entitled Typing versus Thinking: Are We Losing the Skills that Matter, she called for education and governance systems globally to balance technological speed with deep human thinking.
Bache’s speech comes amid growing international concern about declining handwriting skills, increased screen dependency among children, and the cognitive impact of digital-first learning – issues now influencing public policy in countries including Australia, Britain, China, Denmark, France, Greece, India, Italy, Malaysia, Norway and the USA.
Bache explained: “AI and digital technology are extraordinary tools, but they are not neutral. If we allow speed, automation and surface-level processing to replace deep thinking, reflection and creativity, we risk producing generations who can communicate digitally but think less deeply.
“Handwriting is neurological and can be described as ‘brain writing’. It is a fine motor co-ordination that is affected by our personality traits, communication style, physical and emotional health and even our transient thoughts.
“Handwriting as opposed to typing forces us to be more considered, strengthens memory and embeds learning and memory in ways that typing simply does not.”
Drawing on more than three decades of professional experience, Bache argues that handwriting plays a crucial role in cognitive development, emotional intelligence and human judgement — skills that cannot currently be replicated by AI systems.
In her speech to the WGS, she highlighted evidence that handwritten communication engages tactile, visual and emotional feedback loops that support learning, comprehension and empathy, while warning that the rapid replacement of handwriting with digital interfaces risks weakening these core human capabilities.
Bache, from Chiswick, England, also advocates debating which must be encouraged in schools as a gateway to intellectual stimulation and empathy as opposed to the binary ‘right or wrong’ bullying seen across social media.
She told world leaders and policy-makers that over the last 30 years her job had been to determine a writer’s personality, motivations and emotions and to analyse human imperfections.
“I have trained and I have studied but I am also an intuitive human in the same way that every single one of us in this room is, but we are losing this most basic human skill.
“With our instant knowledge at the tap of a button, and so-called communication we are also losing what keeps us safe. How can we judge the nuances of human character and meaning if we don’t look at people’s faces any more, their body language, the pauses between their words, their smiles and tears?”
She posed a key question during her speech: “Which skills are crucial for the future – deep thinking or digital speed?
“The answer is of course both,” she said, “but we are going to have to work much harder in order to keep our human critical thinking skills alive.
“Although we have complex emotional brains, we now have the privilege of technology to make critical black and white decisions which will make our lives easier and possibly longer but unless we manage our expectations and see the world from others’ point of view we are in danger of moving backwards not forwards.”
Bache’s remarks align with a growing international policy shift:
● Australia has moved to restrict social-media use for under-16s amid concerns about attention, anxiety and mental wellbeing.
● In England, policymakers are pushing for phone-free schools to reduce distraction and support learning.
● Educators globally are warning that declining handwriting practice may undermine memory, comprehension and creative thought.
The importance of handwriting featured on a recent episode of the BBC’s QI programme, with both Sandi Toksvig and Gyles Brandreth pointing out that it is key to human thinking, and the “unlocking of creativity”.
Bache points out: “We barely need to teach children digital skills anymore — they absorb them instinctively. What we do need to teach, and protect, are patience, reflection, debate, empathy and creative thinking. These are not optional extras; they are the foundations of leadership, governance and trust.”
At the summit, she challenged governments to rethink how education systems prepare young people for an AI-enabled future — arguing that innovation depends not just on technological output, but on nurturing the creative process, intuition and human imperfection.
While AI can already assist with tasks such as pattern recognition and document verification, Bache notes that it remains unable to detect emotion, intention or character — qualities she believes will become more valuable, not less, as automation accelerates.
“Technology can communicate,” she says, “but it cannot innovate, empathise or judge character. Those remain human responsibilities — and they begin with how we think, learn and express ourselves.”
The World Governments Summit, founded in 2013 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is a global, neutral, non-profit event, this year brings together heads of state, ministers, senior policymakers, innovators and private-sector leaders from around the world to explore the theme “Shaping Future Governments”, with a focus on governance, emerging technologies, AI and institutional resilience.
The aim of the summit – taking place from 3rd to 5th February 2026 in Dubai – is to foster international co-operation and identify innovative solutions to future challenges.
