Spoiler Alert: This is Not AI

This is a picture of me in my office with my trusty blanket and classic notepad.

Spoiler alert: it’s not AI.

I’ve seen the viral “me in my element” AI trend floating around my feed lately, and while it was tempting for a second to try it out—how would AI portray me?—I’ll stick to using AI as a tool to handle complex, in-depth problems—not to summarize me in one still photo.

I’m not anti-AI, and I’m not naive enough to think it’s just a phase. I use AI to be more productive and solve problems I couldn’t on my own. What I can’t get behind is using AI to curate my identity or handle all my critical thinking, whether that’s crafting a photo of me in my ideal state or using AI as Google to tell me what 12×4 equals.

We’re entering a time when authenticity will be more valuable than ever, and this is my petition to keep the human part of our lives authentically—and beautifully—messy. 

The mess is where real progress happens. Think of all the amazing business ideas scribbled on a napkin, or the progress you made when you learned you weren’t perfect. (queue the cliche, “It’s not about the destination; it’s about the journey.”)

So be unpolished, be messy, be authentic, and you’ll be surprised how much success you attract.