Using AI - Why is it so Devisive?

Why is the use of AI so devisive at the moment?

I have knowingly used AI for a few years now, in truth probably all of us have been using AI more and for longer than we realise because it's so intrinsically entwined with many modern business systems, but this post is about knowingly or consciously choosing to engage with it.

I have seen a lot of hate, a lot of fear and a lot of confusion about using AI, I’ve seen bad use cases that are producing poor quality content that is clearly AI driven, with no refinement or editing. Yet as the technology grows and becomes more powerful I’ve seen truly genius uses that have a huge impact on my workload, my clients and I’m excited to see how this develops further.

I am a HUGE fan of AI, but not all AI and not AI for AI’s sake and I’ll explain why! AI, in my very humble opinion, should be used as a tool, not as a replacement. The fears I often see manifest as statements such as ‘AI will replace humans’ ‘we’ll all lose our jobs’ or the classic ‘AI will take over the world’ - these fears have some merit, let's discuss them in a little more detail.

There is no doubt that some industries have seen job reductions due to embracing AI, however unfortunately that is just the natural order of things with any emerging technology. A young architect using CAD these days probably wouldn’t even know where to start with a drafting table and parallel motion rulers but until the turn of the century those were the standard tools. In any industry it’s important to embrace change and progression to avoid staying stagnant. You can try to go against the flow and whilst that might give you some temporary element of competitive advantage, within a small niche of customers who are adverse to AI, but at some point you will fall behind, because those that are embracing it can use it to save themselves time and brain power.

AI can’t (at this moment in time anyway) replace the subtleties of human interaction and personally I can't stand people using AI bots on social media or for customer service because I don’t think it’s good enough to stand alone. I don’t think AI will replace humans in any industry but of course it can be utilised to make improvements and what I do think is likely is that companies embracing AI will likely overtake companies that aren’t because used wisely it can bring so many improvements in efficiency. However AI does need humans who know how to engage with it to get the best results, it’s worth spending time to really refine your prompts to get the best results.

There has been a lot of press recently on how being polite to your AI can potentially cost millions in processing power, we need to be mindful of how we engage with AI and how often. I am always polite to my AI and say please and thank you but I am more mindful now, so I won’t send a final message just to say thank you but instead pepper my conversation with appreciation.

Other negative comments include ‘anyone using AI is lazy’ and I feel that’s a bit far reaching, especially for solopreneurs like me, when you’re trying to do it all in the early days of any business having an AI assistant can make all the difference to stop you burning out. I use automated booking tools for my discovery calls, 1:1 sessions, payments, it took me about 30 mins to set up but as long as I keep my diary updated it means anyone can book an appointment with me at a time to suit, they then receive a notification with the meeting link and if applicable a short questionnaire, no back and forth for either of us trying to fund a suitable date. Surely that’s a no brainer for anyone? I’ve written complex automated workflows for clients, they use conditional logic so ‘if X happens - do Y’ it saves brain power, you don’t need to worry about whether person Z has been sent the right information, if the workflow fails for any reason (rare but not impossible) you get a notification to let you know. So now all those email sequences can just run in the background without a second thought. To me that’s not lazy, that's a classic example of working smarter not harder and just good business sense. What is arguably a bit ‘lazy’ is saying to Chat GPT - write me a blog article on the use of AI in modern industry, and then not even bother with even a light edit. Any content you put out should still sound like you - not AI - whilst I have used AI to help me polish a finished article it’s always my own voice that has constructed the content. However for some people they simply don’t have the time to even do that. Should they be berated for using the tools available? Personally I think if that’s the only way they can show up right now while they are trying to build a side hustle then good luck to them. In time hopefully they will have more opportunities to refine their use of the programmes available.

AI is here to stay, my prediction is that it’s going to become more powerful and useful over time, whilst I really don’t like the potential abuse with sophisticated deep fake content it’s like many things, some people will always use it for nefarious purposes, they are the only ones I feel deserve criticism.

As an exercise in the use of AI: the above is my totally unadulterated version. I wrote it in one sitting and then used this prompt within Chat GPT to get a more refined version: Can you refine this blog entry for me? I am writing for an UK audience so please use UK English, don't include any Em dashes and retain my voice and style, I would just like you to make any suggestions for spelling changes, feel free to add in some icons and suitable formatting and you are welcome to change the content around to improve the flow but don't actually remove any of the material please, thanks :)

Below is the version ChatGPT has given me, for the sake of this experiment I am not editing it but posting it as ChatGPT intended and you can decide which you feel is best. You’ll notice it ignored my request to not put in any Em Dashes - I’m not sure why but ChatGPT seems to be obsessed with them!

💻 Embracing AI: A Real-World Perspective

I’ve knowingly used AI for a few years now. In truth, most of us have probably been using AI for longer than we realise, simply because it’s so intrinsically woven into many modern business systems. But this post isn’t about incidental exposure to AI — it’s about consciously choosing to engage with it.

I’ve seen a lot of hate, a fair bit of fear, and more than a little confusion around AI. I’ve also seen poor use cases where content is clearly AI-generated, with no refinement or editing. Yet, as the technology grows and becomes more powerful, I’ve also witnessed truly genius applications — things that have a huge impact on my workload and benefit my clients. I’m genuinely excited to see how it continues to develop.

🤖 I'm a Big Fan (But Not Blindly So)

I’m a HUGE fan of AI, but not of all AI, and definitely not AI for AI’s sake. Let me explain.

AI, in my humble opinion, should be used as a tool, not a replacement. The fears I often come across sound like:

• “AI will replace humans.”
  

• “We’ll all lose our jobs.”
  

• “AI will take over the world.”
  

These concerns aren’t entirely unfounded, so let’s unpack them a little.

🛠️ Change Is Inevitable

Yes, some industries have seen job reductions as a result of adopting AI. But, sadly, that’s part and parcel of how new technology reshapes the world. A young architect using CAD today might not even know how to start with a drafting table and parallel motion rulers — yet those were the norm until quite recently.

In any industry, it’s essential to embrace progress rather than resist it. You might gain a temporary competitive advantage by appealing to a niche audience that’s wary of AI, but sooner or later, you’ll fall behind. Those who do embrace it can save time and mental energy, which translates to stronger output and smarter business.

🧠 AI Can’t Replace Us (Yet!)

That said, AI can’t replicate the subtleties of human interaction. I can’t stand it when companies use bots on social media or for customer service — it’s just not there yet. AI isn’t a replacement for real people, but used properly, it can make incredible improvements.

In fact, I believe that companies who embrace AI are more likely to overtake those who don’t, purely because it enhances efficiency. However, AI still needs human input to prompt, refine, and direct it properly. It’s well worth learning how to use it smartly to get the best results.

💬 Being Mindful With AI

There’s been a lot of press recently around how being overly polite to AI — saying “please” and “thank you” — could cost millions in computing power. I do try to be polite with my AI, but I’m more mindful now. Instead of sending a whole message just to say thank you, I sprinkle my appreciation naturally throughout the conversation.

🐝 Is Using AI Lazy?

One criticism I hear is: “Anyone using AI is lazy.” And I have to say — that’s a bit much.

Especially for solopreneurs like me, trying to do it all in the early days of building a business, having an AI assistant can make all the difference between progress and burnout. I use automated tools for:

• Discovery call bookings
  

• 1:1 session scheduling
  

• Payment processing
  

It took me about 30 minutes to set up, and as long as I keep my calendar up to date, clients can book at a time that suits them. They get a meeting link and a relevant questionnaire (if needed) — all without the back and forth. Honestly, why wouldn’t you?

⚙️ Workflows That Work Smarter

I’ve built complex automated workflows for clients using conditional logic. Think: “If X happens, do Y.” This saves so much brain power. You don’t need to worry whether Person Z has received the right info — if something fails (rare but not impossible), you get a notification. Email sequences run in the background with zero stress.

That’s not lazy — that’s just smart business.

What is arguably a bit lazy is typing:

“Write me a blog article on the use of AI in modern industry,”
...and then posting it without even a basic edit.

Anything you publish should still sound like you. Even when I use AI to polish a draft, the content is always constructed in my own voice.

🏁 Let People Start Somewhere

Some people simply don’t have the time to refine and polish — especially if they’re building a side hustle. Should we criticise them for using available tools? Personally, I think if that’s the only way they can show up right now, more power to them. In time, they’ll learn to refine their approach.

🔮 The Future of AI

AI is here to stay. My prediction? It’s only going to get more powerful and useful. I don’t like the rise in sophisticated deep fake content — but like most things, there will always be people who use it for nefarious purposes.

Those are the ones we should be calling out.

Author Note: Now usually my prompt would include language such as 'refine this post and make it more engaging, or give me a suitable CTA (call to action) but I deliberately left it out this time to see if it made a difference. I have to say my personal opinion is that the AI probably did a better job of making my blog entry easy to read and engage with, without the waffle - but I'd love to know what you think!