AI Can Make Us Better Thinkers, If We Let It

Note: This article on AI was recently published in Catalyst, the official publication of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). This is the second article I've shared about AI — a topic that's especially relevant and widely discussed as of late. As a board member of the IABC DC Metro chapter, I regularly pass along insights and best practices in the comms field. ​

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AI Can Make Us Better Thinkers, If We Let It
By Tanya Pikula
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In an age of unpredictable technological advancement — so fast that even experts struggle to forecast five years ahead — the arrival and rise of generative AI have been truly seismic. I remember the first time I used ChatGPT. Like so many others, I was astonished. It pulled together a travel itinerary in seconds that would have taken me hours to research. It offered social media posts, email drafts, and creative content ideas, all with startling fluency and immediacy. It was hard not to feel dwarfed by it.

In communications, where language is the core product, the sensation of being overshadowed is especially acute. We’ve always relied on our ability to distill complexity into clarity. Suddenly, here was a machine that could articulate things more quickly and, often, more cleanly. Yes, it made mistakes. Yes, its output needed editing. Still, its speed and coherence left many of us wondering, “Where does this leave me?”

That question lingered, but, as I began experimenting with AI more regularly, my perspective started to shift. What began as simple, low-stakes tasks — proofreading, drafting itineraries, brainstorming titles — soon evolved into something more meaningful. I started using AI to stretch my thinking, stress test arguments, and clarify expression. Rather than feeling diminished, I felt empowered. Perhaps most significantly, I found myself with more mental space to think deeply and creatively.

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