Bradley Harris: Today, open AI is essential, not optional (Opinion ...)
Twenty years ago, we dismissed social media as a distraction. Today, we dismiss artificial intelligence as a threat. We were wrong then. Let’s not be wrong now.
The fact of the matter is, those who leaned into the social media movement back then built personal brands, community engagement, and revenue streams that redefined entire industries. The same hesitation and anxiety are now surfacing around artificial intelligence. Once again, we are being asked to make a choice: Resist change or rise with it.
The Importance of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is not something to fear. It is not a gimmick or a serious threat to professionals. It is a tool, and in today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving economy, tools matter.
As a strategic adviser and public relations consultant, my work has always been grounded in one thing: ethics. I take originality and professional integrity seriously. Every document I’ve submitted or published has gone through multiple rounds of approval. AI does not change that process. It enhances it.
The Role of AI in Professional Work
Artificial intelligence offers us a starting point. It helps us eliminate the blank page, generates structure, tone, and clarity in seconds, and frees us to refine, lead, and execute without wasting hours on formatting. Just this year, Microsoft rolled out Copilot across its entire productivity suite, embedding AI into how millions of professionals draft emails, analyze data, and manage meetings.
The fear that AI is “cheating” misunderstands what professionals actually do. No machine can replace building relationships, making decisions, influencing outcomes, and navigating nuances. What AI can do is remove the friction that slows us down.
Embracing AI in Different Professions
If you’re a restaurant manager, AI can help you optimize your scheduling and reduce no-shows. If you’re in HR, it can help you screen resumes faster so you can spend more time mentoring and developing people. If you’re in communications, it can help you generate a first draft so you can spend more time shaping the message instead of wrestling with the page.
Artificial intelligence is not a threat to your profession. It is a tool that will allow you to work smarter, faster, and more creatively.
The Future of Work with AI
If you are not using AI, you are already far behind. The time to start is now. In today’s business world, you need to work smarter and faster than everyone else. AI is how you do that. It’s not optional anymore, it’s essential.
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