You’ve just polished an email draft using ChatGPT. It’s stronger, clearer, and more compelling. But when your manager compliments it, you say nothing about AI’s contribution. Why? Generative AI is being hailed as the most significant technological breakthrough of our time. Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai called AI “the new electricity,” saying it has the potential to be even more transformative than fire or electricity. Although we don’t know what AI will look like in a few months or even a few weeks, we can be sure that it will impact the workplace and workers in a truly profound way. Here’s what AI is already doing in the workplace.
- AI Expands your bandwidth. AI has virtually limitless capacity to handle relevant tasks with reliable speed.
- AI Automates burnout tasks. Many of the time-consuming tasks that are energy-draining are perfect for AI, like analyzing vast amounts of disparate data or making an article you wrote grammatically correct.
- AI Learns and adapts. AI becomes more accurate, efficient, and helpful the more you work with it, and the more it gets to know you.
- AI Plays multiple roles. Unlike people we hire who typically excel at one skill or area of expertise, AI can handle a wide variety of tasks with ease.
And AI is only getting more powerful. AI platforms are scaling up their existing systems, leveraging larger datasets, enhancing functionality, and increasing their computational power.
Why Talking About Your AI Use Is The Key To Career Relevance
Despite AI’s benefits and inevitability, many professionals are still hesitant to admit they use it. When you find an answer on Google, you don’t feel sheepish about saying “I Googled it.” But when AI helps you write an email or brainstorm a title, you’re less likely to give it credit. And therein lies the issue. Acknowledging and even flaunting your skilled use of AI is actually a career booster, not something to be embarrassed about. It helps you enhance your personal brand attribute of innovation. Yet for all its benefits, many professionals still hesitate to fully embrace it or even admit to using AI. Here’s what’s holding them back:
Fear of Being Judged for Using AI
Some people worry that their peers or managers will view their work as less valuable or authentic if they admit that ChatGPT or Claude was involved. There’s a pervasive perception that AI is used by lazy people or those who lack skills or cheat, not by hard-working overachievers.
Fear of AI Making Them Obsolete
Some are concerned that overtly using AI could make them seem redundant to their manager or lead to their skills being undervalued. According to Inc.com, “53% of those surveyed have hidden their AI use from employers, fearing it might make them appear replaceable.”
Fear of Ethical and Intellectual Property Concerns
Because AI relies on existing data that has been harvested from various sources, some employees are concerned that they may inadvertently use copyrighted material without providing the proper attribution. Many questions remain about the legal implications of AI-generated content, causing uncertainty about ownership and copyright challenges.
Fear of Breaking Company Rules
Many companies have not made it clear what their policies are when it comes to using AI. “A lack of clear guidelines and education about how AI can be used effectively and ethically can fuel fear and resistance,” notes Autentika.
AI Use Signals Strength, Not Weakness
It’s time to flip the script. When you go all in with AI and are open about using it, you don’t look lazy. You show up as the confident, strategic, efficient, and future-focused professional you are. You demonstrate your ability to delegate smartly and embrace innovation. Authentic leaders don’t hoard credit. They actively shine a light on the contributions of others. It’s time to apply that same mindset to AI. Ginni Rometty, former CEO of IBM, put it bluntly, “Those who use AI will replace those who don’t.”
So come out of the AI closet. Give credit where it’s due. Own your use of AI as a smart, modern move. Start by being transparent about how you use AI today, while encouraging your colleagues to integrate AI into how they work. It’s one of the simplest ways to grow your personal brand and position yourself as a strategic, future-ready professional.
William Arruda is a keynote speaker, author, and personal branding pioneer. Join him as he discusses clever strategies for using AI to express and expand your brand in Maven’s free Lightning Lesson. If you can’t attend live, register to receive the replay.