AI: Tool or Taskmaster?

Outside of politics, artificial intelligence might be the most divisive topic today.

There are legitimate concerns about privacy, cyberstalking, the collection of personal information, autonomous decision-making, and AI replacing human workers. Those concerns are real, and we need intelligent regulations that protect people without preventing innovation.

That said, I have several friends and family members who refuse to use AI in their jobs. I find that incredibly shortsighted. In fact, I have a friend who tells hiring managers during job interviews, “I won’t use AI.”  So, what happens next?  You know the answer. Next candidate.

Here’s what I’ve learned: Don’t give AI personal or confidential information. If you give it access to your banking records, private emails, medical information, passwords, or other sensitive parts of your life, you may be asking for trouble down the road.  However, you still need to learn how to use AI as a tool.

Think about how technology transformed the media business. There was a time when companies relied almost entirely on scriptwriters, commercial artists, photographers, editors, and production specialists. Then came programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, along with digital photography, computer graphics, and desktop video editing.

The people who adapted didn’t necessarily abandon their creativity. They used technology to work faster, improve the details, and expand what they could accomplish. Those who refused to adapt often found themselves left behind.

AI is another one of those turning points. I challenged my anti-AI friend to try living a truly AI-free life.

Get rid of Alexa. Disconnect the security system that recognizes faces or distinguishes people from packages. Cancel the streaming services that recommend what to watch. Stop using social media and search engines. Give up the smartphone, smart television, tablet, and many of the newer features in your car.  AI is already embedded in many of the products and services we use every day.

I also find it ironic when someone complains about AI taking jobs while using CapCut or another app to create and post videos. That technology allows one person to do work that might once have required a video editor, photographer, videographer, graphic artist, or producer.  Apparently, replacing someone else’s job with technology is acceptable—as long as the technology is working for you.  Yes, that example is intentionally extreme.  But it is difficult to claim that you want nothing to do with AI while benefiting from it every day.

Here is what we should demand.  Intelligent regulation and responsible use.  I don’t count on the companies to self regulate in the best interests of the public.  So we need to find ways to make sure they play inside the lines. 

AI used as a tool can be incredibly valuable. It can make creative people more efficient and help them turn ideas into reality without losing their original vision in someone else’s interpretation. It can organize information, refine language, generate possibilities, and handle routine tasks that consume valuable time.

AI given too much authority, too much personal information, or too little human oversight can be hazardous and extremely disruptive.

My advice is simple: Think of AI as a personal assistant—not your boss, your conscience, or your replacement.  Don’t give AI anything you wouldn’t want displayed on a huge sign in your front yard. Be cautious about giving it access to personal or confidential information. Question its answers. Check its work. Make the final decisions yourself.  But learn how to use it.

Let AI help you develop your vision, organize your thoughts, improve your communication, and handle simple, menial tasks. The idea should still be yours. The judgment should still be yours. The final product should still reflect you.

And, for the record, I wrote this article.  AI performed the grammar and punctuation check.

See? My idea. My opinion. My voice.  AI was simply the tool that kept me from looking like a fifth grader writing a book report.

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