A few months back, I promised in a blog that I would be back with information about AI. At that time, I envisioned an ongoing discussion on the pros and cons of using AI and its implications for small business owners. But then I had a thought! I’m a small business owner (actually, a consultant), and I should write about MY experiences first. It took a hot minute or so, but I believe I have some insights worth sharing.
I first watched “Terminator” at an impressionable age—specifically, in my late 20s—when I thought I knew quite a bit about the world. Of course, I didn’t have a clue. I was a Star Trek fan, appreciated Ray Bradbury’s cynicism, and held a dystopian view of the future, which was quite fashionable at the time. I was also teaching media studies at a college in New York City, where conspiracy theories were rampant, long before the internet’s influence. AI was evil beyond comprehension and would ultimately lead to the downfall of society. In doubt? Go ask Arnold.
Years later, I attended an industry conference where the keynote speaker, an expert in AI, spoke extensively on the topic. By that time, I had gained considerable experience in corporate America. Most of my conspiracy theories (except for the ones surrounding the Kennedy assassinations) mainly had faded, along with my worries about the world falling into an abyss or returning to the Dark Ages. My consulting work was thriving, and I was serving as the editor of the magazine sponsored by the organization hosting the conference. This was a year or two before the pandemic, and AI was looming as the biggest threat on the horizon.
According to the speaker, AI was coming for us, and all our jobs were at risk. He even hinted that both the “Terminator” series and Ray Bradbury had accurately predicted this dire situation. I remember the attendees shuffling out of the conference room, contemplating how we would ever cope with this impending threat. And I couldn’t help but wonder—would someone come back from the future to save us?
As AI has become increasingly widespread, my perspective has undergone significant evolution. I started as an AI denier, then moved to skepticism, became an enthusiast, returned to skepticism, and now I find myself in a position that feels less like a “Terminator” fear and more aligned with the vision of Alan Turing. Many of the folks at the conference I attended are now proudly showcasing AI capabilities in their businesses. In my work, I too actively incorporate AI. For example, I discuss the advantages and disadvantages of AI in a course I teach. As a sole proprietor, I utilize AI tools that support me, helping me evaluate and tailor the content I create.
All good! Right? As my favorite TV character, Samantha Stevens from Bewitched, used to say, weeelll… I am not so sure. AI helps me to be more accurate, and I can complete painstaking tasks like proofreading more efficiently. I also learn from it: I have been making the same grammatical errors since approximately the fourth grade. My AI program has helped me recognize my mistakes and avoid them more effectively. However, while AI can be helpful, it doesn’t understand the world as I do, nor does it grasp the nuances of a client’s business like I can.
Additionally, it can’t generate ideas as effectively as I can. AI tends to alter my unique style of language and storytelling, which poses a problem since that uniqueness is what I offer my clients. Perhaps one of the most significant drawbacks is that people who would typically hire me for web or blog content now casually inform me, with truly heartbreaking smiles, that they’re using an AI program for “that stuff.”
There are benefits to AI, and, yes, one thing I agree with Elon Musk on is that we should “not stop the machines, but rather be the ones who control them.” But that, I fear, is easier said than done.
I look at AI as staff, not a boss. I use it as a tool. I am told the fork was once considered an instrument of the devil and would wreak havoc on the world. That turned out ok. Fingers crossed that we don’t need a dire example from the future to dampen our enthusiasm for this new way of working.
If you’re looking for a unique way to tell your story, please get in touch with me at nancywriteadvantage@gmail.com or visit my website at thewriteadvantage.biz.
Working in The World Today: Views by Nancy McCarthy 