"AI" The perfect assistant, but a terrible replacement.

Our world has changed ever since the rise of ChatGPT. This AI tool has transformed how we approach tasks in our daily lives. From helping students write assignments to assisting professionals with emails, presentations, and data analysis, AI is everywhere.

Since ChatGPT launched, AI has become a ubiquitous companion in education and the workplace. On a functional level, ChatGPT is comparable to ‘Genie from a magic lamp’, you type in a request, and ChatGPT answers instantly. Many people now see AI as a crucial tool to get things done faster, no wonder it has revolutionized how we tackle everyday functions.

But as AI becomes more integrated into our lives, it’s fair to ask: is it taking over our creative and professional spaces? Are we just handing our jobs over to an algorithm? The idea that AI could replace writers, artists, and even coders worries many people, I’m included.

It raises an important question: in relying on AI so much, are we losing a part of our unique human creativity and skill set? Are we unwittingly training a workforce that lacks originality and is overly dependent on machine-made solutions?

Here’s the thing – AI isn’t here to steal jobs or erase creativity. At its best, it’s a tool to make work easier and support our own ideas, not replace them. Content that’s entirely AI-generated – from text to images – tends to feel less authentic and often misses the emotional nuance that humans bring to their work.

Audiences can sense when something is too polished, robotic, or generic. That lack of human touch, empathy, and creativity can make AI-generated content feel flat, and ultimately less trustworthy. A digital marketer friend told me that completely AI-generated content for sales and marketing has been doing below the expectation numbers.

Take resumes, for example. Major recruiters have become quite skilled at identifying resumes written entirely by AI. They’re on the lookout for generic language, formulaic descriptions, and even certain keywords that AI tends to overuse.

Relying solely on AI to craft your personal narrative may backfire because recruiters want to see authenticity, passion, and an individual touch that AI struggles to replicate. AI might help with formatting or fine-tuning, but your experience and voice are what makes a resume stand out.

A recruiter I reached out to for this piece says that AI-written resumes are not at all preferred by almost every industry. They prefer a resume where an applicant has applied themselves to the best of their ability.

So, how can we use AI smartly? The key is to use it as an aid, not a substitute. Think of AI as your assistant, not your secret sauce to success. Start with clear prompts, outline your goals, and use AI to brainstorm, organize ideas, or give feedback on drafts.

By using AI in this supportive role, you get the best of both worlds: your own creativity and the efficiency that AI can bring to the process. Embrace AI as a secondary partner to enhance your skills – not as a shortcut to replace them.