This article was originally published in Mediaweek.
“If you’re feeling behind the times on this new fad, you’re not alone”
By Sebastian Dodds-Painter, AI Implementation Manager, Icon Agency
Unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ve no doubt been wowed – or horrified – by the spectacularly impressive feats AI seemingly brings to the table. From writing content, painting talented art pieces to generating myriad pieces of content, AI is capable of almost everything, or so it seems.
But for many of us, especially those traditionally slower at adopting technology, the initial feelings of amazement are often followed by a very reasonable bout of existential dread and pondering the irony of an AI-written resignation letter.
If you’re feeling behind the times on this new fad, you’re not alone. AI has exploded onto the scene seemingly out of nowhere and is causing disruption at unprecedented speed and scale.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. I’m happy to say AI isn’t replacing most of us just yet, and by the end of this article, I’m hoping you will embrace its usefulness and potential.
Why AI adoption is important
If you’re not impressed by AI, it’s crucial to understand that every AI tool you see now is the absolute worst it will ever be.
AI is improving at a rate so fast, even its most seasoned developers and ardent supporters are wanting to hit the brakes. AI is here to stay, it’s not a fad and it’s definitely worth investing in.
At its best AI can automate and improve the most tedious and frustrating parts of our working days and anyone, at any level of experience, can reap the rewards.
You’re better than you think
Speaking as a mid-20s writer and designer that’s spent their entire life on computers and always loved playing around with fun new tools and programs – the scale, complexity and possibility of AI are still unbelievably intimidating.
And that’s ok.
AI tools of this grandeur are new for everyone, and I would argue there are very few capable users and only a handful of true experts in the entire world. The biggest barrier to adopting any new technology is perception – if you believe yourself incapable of learning and adapting, you’ll find it damn hard to embrace all that it has to offer.
Yes, ‘the power of belief’ is a naff trope, but it’s true. It’s ok to feel under-equipped or out-of-touch, what matters most is sitting with that discomfort, and perservering regardless of how much it frightens you.
Tips & Tricks
It’d feel a bit anticlimactic to give a couple of words of positive affirmation and send you on your way, so here are a few brief tips to get you started with some of the flashy new AI tools that are just a keyboard click away: