As an entrepreneur and business owner working in creative and innovative spaces, I have watched the emergence of AI technology with both interest and caution. It is not in my nature to fear new technology, and I have a history of adopting and educating on new technologies. So, I was curious about my own resistance to AI and what was behind it.
Just Two Simple Concepts
For me, it came down to two pretty simple concepts: Understanding and Exposure.
If I base my understanding of AI on what I see on my Facebook feed, well then it’s highly possible I have been exposed to:
- Eye-popping avatar art that may or may not have been “ethically created”
- At least three doomsday posts from friends describing their paralyzing fear of AI
- Over-hyped articles that fuel said doomsday posts.
Expanding into business spaces such as LinkedIn, the information becomes more compelling but is still somewhat disconcerting. There are many concerns about the ethics of AI, conversations about students using it to replace actual learning, or professionals presenting AI-generated content as their own. The idea that we can be “tricked” or worse, overtaken by AI seems prevalent, as well. None of these are necessarily misplaced concerns, but truly understanding AI, its current capacity and future potential is critical. AI is not going away. Just like every other past technology that emerged and changed the world, this will too.
A Fearless Exploration
So, I first began to educate myself on the technology, beyond what was showing up on my feeds. As I increased my understanding of AI, I was exposed to different tools that were available to help me in a variety of ways. I also became exposed to more people who were sharing incredibly innovative uses for AI in their day-to-day businesses. As I built my confidence and trust, I began to actively explore these tools on my own.
Here are three ways I have integrated AI into my workflow:
Customer Personas - I do all my homework first. This is important because I want to know that I KNOW my customers. However, once I have done the work, I turn to AI for extra insight, information, and even a little validation. Using ChatGPT, I input a key prompt, taking language directly from my content. For example, “Describe the ideal customer who is seeking innovation coaching.” From this very basic prompt, ChatGPT will respond with a page or more of content describing this customer. I use this initial data to cross-reference against my own work, noting any distinctions, alignments, or unique data points that may present. To dig deeper, I query “What search terms would someone use to find Ethos Coaching?” The information is a powerful supplement to what I can research and locate as an independent entrepreneur and the insights have been invaluable. I am also using it in other aspects of my business planning and market research.
Coaching and Consulting Calls - Zoom recently came out with a series of apps that integrate with their product. One specific tool that I have been experimenting with is called Fathom. It acts as a third-party observer and recorder on your Zoom calls, but it does so much more. When I am working with clients, taking notes is critical to making sure that I am capturing all relevant details. Often, I need to make note of something that I want to come back to later on but I also want to maintain a strong connection with my client. Fathom serves this need at the click of a button. I can quickly track Highlights, Action Items, and note other key details that are relevant to my work. It is customizable, so for example, I can click a button to note an “Emotional Response” during a session. At the end of the session, Fathom provides a full call transcript, a recording link that I can quickly send to my client, and a complete bullet-point summary of my call, distilled to a single page. Each bullet is time-stamped and linked to the exact discussion that is referenced. My additional notations are also included. This tool saves me time, allows me to be more accurate with data capture, and helps me stay very present for my clients.
Creative Collaboration - I have also used AI to play and have fun. I created a persona for my blog and website called JenAI to allow me to further explore the impact of AI on creativity. 
Recently, Tapas shared a blog post celebrating the joy (and cringe) of the limerick. For the post, I wrote a few limericks of my own, however, JenAI also contributed.
First, I prompted ChatGPT to “write a limerick about a person who fears AI.” I thought the AI generated limerick was pretty good, so I took the entire limerick and entered it as a prompt into the AI Art Generator app. I took the AI limerick and paired it with the AI art to complete JenAI’s contribution and published everything together. I want people to juxtapose my (human) work against what AI produces. I want us to talk about this important cross-section we are at in society as art is one of our greatest expressions of humanity. It is imperative that we discuss this and understand its impact and use.
A Leap of fAIth
These are just a few ways I am incorporating AI into my business practice, but every day I am exploring more. If you are using tools like Grammarly and Duolingo, for example, you are already using AI to varying degrees. AI is an active part of our culture that will not disappear. I am much more interested in participating in helping AI become a tool in service of humanity than in living in fear. So far, I see the opportunity for AI to do so much good, but just like anything, and maybe especially with AI, perspective matters.
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Stephanie Crain is a Corporate Mystic, a visionary collaborator who empowers organizations and individuals to align their core values and unleash their authentic expression. With 25 years of experience in branding, culture, and creative strategy, Stephanie excels as an executive leader, fostering collaboration and talent elevation across diverse industries. As a Certified Master Jungian Coach specializing in Success Mindset, she guides executives, creators, and entrepreneurs to overcome obstacles and #vibratehigher by activating their true potential.
