GenAI and the Human Spark: Embracing Technology Without Losing Ourselves

Humans are naturally lazy—let’s face it. Give us a tool that makes something easier, and we’re inclined to rely on it a bit too much. Now, with the rise of GenAI, we’ve got this powerful new technology at our fingertips. When used right, it’s a phenomenal tool for ideation, finding gaps in our strategies, and improving the quality of work on those tasks we’d rather not do ourselves. The uplift GenAI provides is real. But here’s the thing: as incredible as it is, GenAI isn’t perfect. At the end of the day, it’s just a word predictor of epic proportions. Sure, it can create some mind-blowing results, but it’s still a machine—it doesn’t think or feel (or does it or will it?).

Here’s where I find myself having to step back. Because GenAI can feel so believable, I’ve caught myself tempted to lean on it a little too hard without giving the output the full review it deserves. And that’s the risk—if I rely on GenAI without my own scrutiny, I risk losing the unique touch that comes from my years of experience, my gut feel, and my perspective. It’s a brilliant tool, but GenAI is still just that—a tool, or maybe a very educated intern with more PhDs than me who needs my direction. It’s not a replacement for the impact I want to have. If I stop thinking and go the lazy route, GenAI will do a good job, no question, but it won’t help me deliver my best work or achieve the influence I want to have on the world around me.

This is where I think we, as humans, need to stay vigilant. It’s so tempting to let GenAI “handle it” because it feels like we’re still in control when, really, it can become a crutch. The future I want isn’t one where we’ve let AI take over everything that we do best. I think of WALL-E—where people had everything done for them and just sat around, totally passive. Sure, they were content, but they’d lost their spark. They weren’t making an impact, they were just…there.

In my mind, the future I want looks more like Star Trek, where technology enables us to do amazing things, but we’re still driving the change, still curious, still pushing boundaries. GenAI can make our work easier, but it’s our minds, combined with our hearts, that create real impact. I love WALL-E, but I don’t want to live in that world. I want a future where we use our tools thoughtfully, keeping our brains sharp and our hearts engaged, working with technology to make things better—not giving in to easy paths that ask us to think less.

So, let’s embrace the tools. Let’s keep learning more about what they can and can’t do, and let’s keep that critical spark alive. We’re amazing as humans because of our creativity, our instincts, and our drive to make a difference. Let’s make sure we hold onto that, for ourselves and for the future.

Further Reading:

Ethan Mollick, Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI .

Katherine Miller, Stanford University Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, "AI Overreliance is a Problem. Are Explanations a Solution? "

Lance Elliot, Forbes, "Generative AI and Brain Rot " (a more entertaining look at this topic)