Why I Use AI in My Work (And Why You Probably Should Too)

There’s a lot of hand-wringing these days about artificial intelligence. Some people talk about it as if it’s a threat to creativity. Others treat it as a kind of magic that will replace human work entirely.

My experience has been much more ordinary. I use AI in my work, and I do it without apology. Not because it replaces thinking, but because it removes a lot of the friction that slows good work down.

In communications work there are dozens of small tasks that consume time but don’t require deep creativity: checking grammar, reformatting text, adapting something written for one audience so it works for another, tightening a paragraph, or summarizing a long document. These are useful tasks, but they are not the heart of the work. And let’s face it: you don’t need Hemingway or Shakespeare to write an announcement about the Youth Pancake Supper. You only need the facts to be correct; the rest is simple writing within a certain genre.

The heart of the work is deciding what needs to be said and why it matters.

AI happens to be very good at helping with the mechanical parts. It can clean up a draft, suggest alternatives, or help turn a rough idea into something you can refine. Used properly, it’s less like a replacement for a writer and more like having an unusually patient assistant sitting nearby.

Of course, the results still need judgment. Anyone who has used these tools for more than a few minutes knows they occasionally produce things that are awkward, overly confident, or just plain wrong. That’s why the human part of the process still matters.

But when used thoughtfully, AI can make communication work faster and smoother. For mission-driven organizations—nonprofits, schools, churches, and community groups—that efficiency can make a real difference. Many of these institutions operate with small staffs and limited time. Tools that help people move from idea to finished communication more easily are worth embracing.

In my own work, AI has simply become another tool in the toolbox, alongside editing software, automation scripts, and the other systems I use to make communication run smoothly. I like to say it this way: When roofers come to put new shingles on, do you want them to use a hammer, or a pneumatic nail gun? The results might actually be better if you use the more modern tool.

Like any tool, it’s most useful when it serves the mission rather than distracting from it. And if a tool helps you do your work better, there’s no reason not to use it.