A friend recently told me about a conversation she overheard in a café between three students. They were talking about their looming university deadline. One friend said, “Thank god for ChatGPT!” Another laughed and agreed. But the third was horrified.
She said she was shocked they were both ‘cheating’ (and contributing to the death of the planet – but that’s a topic for another article). She was proud to write everything herself and said she wouldn’t dream of using AI. “What would future employers say if they thought you were relying on AI?”
My reaction to this story? I couldn’t help but laugh. Not at her, but at the irony. Because honestly? I’d be more concerned about hiring someone who isn’t using AI.
AI isn’t cheating. It’s a tool like calculators, spreadsheets, or search engines. It transforms the way we work. And in today’s world, being “proud” of ignoring it isn’t a flex. It’s a liability.
The student who refuses to touch AI may think she’s doing the right thing. But in the real world? She’s falling behind. Whether you’re in marketing, hospitality, or almost any modern industry, AI isn’t a future threat. It’s a present reality.
Yes, it can feel overwhelming. It’s suddenly everywhere. There’s hype, confusion, and fear. But there’s also an incredible opportunity, especially in marketing.
Lately, I’ve started using AI almost daily for all sorts of tasks:
- Structuring blog posts like this one
- Generating title ideas for offers and ads
- Repurposing social content across platforms (e.g., trimming posts for X’s 280-character limit)
- Scanning the internet for press coverage
- Creating competitor analysis reports
- Identifying fonts
- Even producing a campaign image that wasn’t possible to shoot traditionally due to time and budget constraints
That’s not cheating. That’s smart. That’s efficient. And that’s the kind of agility clients expect.
The key point? AI can’t replace human creativity or judgment; it can only enhance it. The magic happens when you blend AI’s efficiency with your brand’s voice, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking – personalisation matters. So does fact-checking.
So if you’re still wondering whether using AI is “okay” or worrying about what people might think, you’re asking the wrong question. The real question is: How can I learn to use AI well?