We live in an age where people ask ChatGPT what to text their crush, how to apologise to a friend, and what drink to order to “seem confident.” It’s amazing and absurd all at once, the world’s most advanced technology helping us decode the most basic parts of being human.
I’ve heard that kids in high school are now turning to ChatGPT to ask questions like “What am I meant to do for this homework?” Not because they’re trying to cut corners but because they’re too embarrassed, too shy, or simply too busy to ask the teacher directly.
It’s not just students, grown adults are out here asking AI how to sound confident, kind, or cool in everyday life. I’ve seen people asking things like “What should I say in a thank-you email?” or “How do I tell my boss I’m overwhelmed?”. Others type in “What’s a polite way to end a conversation?” or “Why didn’t my friend text back?”
We’re starting to use AI not just to find information but to navigate the basics of human interaction, things we used to figure out by actually talking to each other.
Now I love technology. I’ve built a career using it and I genuinely believe AI is an incredible tool that can help us learn faster, work smarter, and create things that weren’t possible before. When I was coming up I was the “wonder kid” who knew both Pro Tools and tape, the rare person who could jump between two worlds. I was often brought in to engineer for producers who hadn’t yet made the move into digital and it taught me something valuable: technology is only powerful when it serves creativity, not when it replaces the human connection that fuels it.
However it’s hard to ignore this growing sense of distance between us as humans. We’re becoming more comfortable asking questions to a chatbot than to another person.
It’s not just happening in schools or social settings. The same pattern shows up in business. We’ve all been there, sitting on a question in a meeting because we don’t want to sound uninformed. There’s no such risk asking ChatGPT, right? I even saw someone the other day standing in line at Starbucks typing “What drink should I get that makes me look like I have my life together?” You have to admire the dedication to letting AI curate your caffeine choices.
The truth is AI is brilliant at giving us quick, clear answers. However it can’t replace the texture, emotion, and trust that come from human conversation. I can ask Perplexity to give me a breakdown of current client pain points and it’ll do a fine job. But it won’t give me the same perspective as a five-minute chat with one of my team about what’s really happening day to day.
So how do we keep the human part alive while embracing the best of AI? Here are a few simple ideas that help me stay grounded:
1. In-person events
It sounds obvious but meeting people face to face is becoming something of a lost art. Thankfully live events are making a comeback because people are realising that you simply can’t replicate genuine human connection through a screen.
I’ve done on average four or five live masterclasses a year for the last decade and I expect to do more next year than ever before. Every time I’m reminded that no amount of technology can match the energy of being in a room full of creative people sharing ideas, stories, and laughter. If you haven’t been to one in a while pick just one to attend this quarter. Shake a few hands, have a real conversation, maybe even share a laugh. Only good things come from it.
2. Keep client communication personal
With all the automation tools available these days it’s easy to let AI take over your outreach. Templates, auto-follow-ups, smart scheduling — it all promises to save time and sometimes it does. However nothing beats a genuine human message.
I’ve always found that the best client relationships are built in the quiet moments, the quick check-ins, the handwritten thank-yous, the spontaneous “how’s that project going?” that shows you’re actually paying attention. A short, sincere message that sounds like you carries more weight than any perfectly formatted automated email ever will.
If I’ve just finished a great session or video with someone I’ll often drop them a quick note the next day, not a pitch, not a follow-up, just something simple like “Loved that conversation yesterday. Hope you got a chance to listen back to that mix, the guitar tone still makes me smile.” That’s the kind of communication that keeps relationships real.
Clients and collaborators can spot AI-polished language a mile away. What they remember is warmth, humour, and humanity. You don’t need to write an essay, three or four thoughtful sentences that sound unmistakably like you are enough to remind people why they enjoy working with you.
3. Talk with your team about where AI helps and where it hurts
One of the best ways to use AI responsibly is to make it an ongoing conversation. Sit down with your team and talk about the tasks where AI has genuinely made things better, where it’s saved time, improved clarity, or helped spark creativity. Then just as importantly look at where it hasn’t helped at all.
Maybe it sped something up but made the work feel colder or less personal. Maybe it produced great output but weakened collaboration or genuine human insight. Those discussions are essential because they help everyone see that AI isn’t a blanket solution, it’s a tool.
Above all your team needs to feel included and supported, that it’s not about hiding the fact they might be using AI but about sharing how they’re using it so everyone can learn and adapt together. When people feel safe to be open AI becomes a shared resource not a secret advantage. That kind of transparency keeps the focus where it belongs: on collaboration, creativity, and genuine human connection.
AI is here to stay and I’m all for using it to make our lives easier. However it’s worth remembering that our greatest strengths, empathy, collaboration, curiosity, still come from connecting with other people. So yes use ChatGPT, Perplexity, or whatever tool helps you work smarter. Just don’t forget to look up, take a breath, step away from the screen every now and then, and talk to the humans around you. That’s where the real innovation starts.
