Whether you loathe it or can’t get enough of it, Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. More and more the conversation swings from AI’s incredible ability to collapse working time, to its mind-blowing creative advancements to its detriment on humanity’s authenticity and encroachment on our personal security. To provide a well-rounded perspective, we’ve gathered insights from 11 trailblazing leaders, who have immersed themselves in the world of AI, to understand how they leverage this technology and their opinions on its ever-evolving impact.
The Creative Catalyst
Véronique Lacroix, a marketing bachelor, sees AI as a transformative force, saying, “The last time Pluto was in Aquarius, we saw the Industrial and French Revolution.” She views its potential to make “things happen faster,” revolutionizing brands for modern day entrepreneurs. Leveraging astrology may not come easy to you, therefore by leaning on AI to support you in the innovation process, Veronique says “will greatly collapse time for you and the results you are able to generate.”
Cassie Kramer, an AI enthusiast, believes AI can enhance human creativity. She says, “I love AI! I use it often to jump start my own brain and ideas to promote our ‘Done With You Bookkeeping’ services.” For many it is easier to “get naked in front of your doctor than it is to talk about your financials”, AI supports Cassie in reaching business owners via Social Media to help them step into greater levels of financial literacy. If you own a business, you need to know the basics, such as how to read financial statements, what comprises a Profit & Loss report and its significance, what a Balance Sheet is and why it holds importance, and the concept of forecasting and its benefits for your business.
Customer Journey Strategist Laura Pence Atenico finds it incredibly useful in content marketing, marveling at its ability to streamline her creation process. For Authors specifically, Laura suggests using it to help you mine your book for content ideas: “Identify the key themes, chapters, stories, and insights in your book that could be turned into blog posts, social media updates, videos, and podcasts.”
Authenticity and Ethics in AI Integration
Kelly Rae is “torn on AI” and voices concerns over society’s growing reliance on it. She makes a great point:
“I’m concerned about the development of society, and how reliant people will become on it. To the point where, if something happens and you are unable to utilize it, those that are so dependent on it may not be able to function well in society without it!”
Kelly J Mendenhall is wary about the global conversation surrounding AI, calling it both “fascinating and terrifying.” She emphasizes authenticity in content and feels that “using AI to write my content would be inauthentic,” but also sees its benefits in administrative tasks. Mendenhall continues “For me personally, using AI to write my content would be inauthentic. I’ve found that to be true for myself. Quite frankly, I’m a unicorn. You won’t meet another like me; I tend to write like I speak. A robot isn’t going to help me write content that sounds like me.”
AI and Societal Evolution
Allison Solomon sees AI as a powerful ally, especially for the neurodivergent community, saying, “AI for the neurodivergent community especially people with ADHD is a game-changer!” As a Mom to three teens all with ADHD, cancer survivor she foresees a transformation in the education system, believing it will benefit future generations.
“We can help our children to not let ADHD define them, it simply is part of their story but not their story. With the power of AI, we can support our children to further develop their strengths especially in the classroom.”
Jessica Jordan Munn echoes Allison’s sentiment, stating ‘AI is here to stay’ and urges you to learn the importance of embracing this tool safely – “AI isn’t inherently good or bad, it just is. It all comes down to how it is trained (data input) and how it is used, as with anything” . As a Mindset and Trauma Coach who is also neurodivergent discovering AI has helped to “reduce the mental load and ease the burden of executive functioning challenges for those of us with ADHD. I’ve mostly been using it for business so far, but I love the potential it has for life in general too.”
AI and Human Connection
Jen Zundel remains skeptical about its application in her field of work. As a Dating Coach, Jen believes in the value of authentic human connections. Rightly so, she goes on to explain “People are craving authentic connections, where they actually feel seen and met by another person. One of the biggest problems singles are facing today, is not knowing how to create connection. It’s the downside of being an online world that focuses primarily on email, texting, online classes and online dating. The more we bring in AI to make things more automatic, the less connection happens.”
Similarly, Shannon Olsen, a Spiritual Coach, hopes AI “does not further disconnect people from their unique authentic truth,” stressing the importance of genuine human connection.
“We all feel that excitement and camaraderie that we are not alone in our own challenges, experiences, etc. and are always looking to be inspired and find those aligned people that we can just be at ease and be authentic with.”
Embracing AI Responsibly
Melissa Kellogg enjoys AI’s creative assistance and imagines a future where humans focus on higher-order tasks, saying, “I love thinking about all the ‘mindless’ work artificial intelligence may eventually take over from us humans.”
“I find artificial intelligence to be both fascinating and terrifying. I love using it myself as a tool to be more efficient and creative in my business; however I see that there are downsides to creating “intelligent” technology. For example, what are the morals and standards being programmed into artificial intelligence and do I or will I agree with them?”
While, Elle Romsloe is also an entrepreneur who harnesses AI to overcome creative blocks, she is interested about the broader implications in sectors like AI-powered farming:
“Talking about things like ChatGPT is one thing, but getting into things like AI powered farming that uses lasers to kill weeds without the use of pesticides, we’re walking a very thin line here. I’m excited for pesticide free farming BUT, there is no fallacy to the slippery slope we’re on. Combining this kind of technology with the kind of totalitarian governments that already exist on this planet and you have a recipe for utopian disaster. We need to be careful we don’t engineer our own demise.”
While AI offers numerous opportunities, it’s crucial to approach its integration with caution.
In Closing
AI presents a myriad of opportunities and efficiencies, but its deep integration into society is a double-edged sword. As shared by these 11 leaders, the challenge is in harnessing AI’s capabilities without losing the essence of human authenticity and connection. The narrative of AI is still unfolding, and as it intertwines more with our lives, understanding its capabilities and setting boundaries becomes even more crucial. To thrive in this AI-infused landscape, we must strike a balance between embracing its potential and safeguarding our human essence. It’s an ongoing dialogue, one that requires continuous learning, reflection, and adjustment to ensure that as we move forward, we do so with intention, care, and a deep respect for the unique qualities that make us human.
