Let me start by saying something you might not hear often, and let me be clear that this is purely conjecture:
I don’t think AI was introduced by accident. I have no evidence to support this, but I suspect it’s been around much longer than most people realize. The timing of its public release, the speed of its adoption, and the way it’s been seamlessly integrated into our daily lives all seem a little too convenient. None of it feels random. It feels coordinated. Like it’s been quietly evolving behind the scenes until the world was either ready or distracted enough to accept it without question.
So what does that mean? Was it a gift? Maybe. A tool for progress? Possibly. But a net positive for humanity…that still remains to be seen.
Because for all the ways AI helps us organize data, accelerate production, and simplify the messiness of modern business, there’s something else happening, something deeper. I’m watching what it’s doing to our autonomy, our imagination, our ability to think for ourselves, and create something truly original.
As a personal brand strategist, I’ve built my work around helping individuals find their voice, not borrow one. And what I’m seeing now is a worrying shift. We’re no longer just collaborating with machines; we’re beginning to surrender to them.
And I don’t say this as someone who is anti-technology or conspiracy-driven, although, let’s be honest, where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire. They can’t all be conspiracies, right?
“It never starts as mass adoption. It starts with small, quiet dependency—until the machine becomes the master.”
Anyway, I digress, back to AI…
Lately, I’ve been getting emails lots of them. Social media is being bombarded with “thought leadership,” and they all sound the same. Monotone. Over-polished. Formulaic. Written with perfect grammar but zero soul. They’re indistinguishable. That, in and of itself, is a warning sign to me.
As someone who collaborates with a brand storytelling agency, I know when words carry intention—and when they don’t. There’s something disconcerting about how easily and how quickly we’re surrendering our thoughts, our voices, our judgment to a tool designed to “assist,” but subtly nudging us to outsource more and more of ourselves.
“We’re not just using AI, we’re beginning to trust it more than we trust ourselves.”
So like an investigative sleuth, I started looking into what happens neurologically, psychologically, and creatively, when we begin to rely on artificial intelligence to think, speak, decide, and create for us?
Turns out, quite a bit… read on!
“The more we defer to machines, the more we doubt our instincts.”
It’s not just that we’re using AI, it’s that we’re beginning to trust it more than we trust ourselves. I literally sat in a networking session recently and the guest speaker, a coach, no less, was asked a pretty basic question. His response? “Let me confer with my AI program I created in ChatGPT and get back to you.”
I know that sounds radical, and maybe even isolated. But that’s also what they said about early automation in manufacturing… until it replaced generations of skilled workers.
That’s what they said about social media… until it rewired how we communicate, connect, and value ourselves.
That’s what they said about smartphones… until we couldn’t make it through a meal without reaching for one.
It never starts as mass adoption. It starts with small, quiet dependency, until the machine becomes the master.
Automation bias refers to the growing tendency to accept AI-generated outputs as correct, even when they’re wrong. People increasingly defer to machines over their own expertise, instincts, or insight. (Washington Post)
“What makes you powerful isn’t how fast you produce. It’s how clearly you think.”
AI is not going anywhere. It’s here. It’s evolving. And the genie isn’t going back into the bottle anytime soon. But that doesn’t mean we have to hand it the keys to our minds, our businesses, or our identities.
The challenge isn’t about whether to use AI. It’s about how we use it, and whether we remain in control of the tools or become passive vessels for their output. We can, and should, use AI to support our work. To enhance it. To systematize it. To simplify it.
But we must not let it replace our thinking. We must not allow it to flatten our originality. We must not let it speak instead of us. Let it collaborate, but not decide. Let it help you deliver, but never define your voice.
What makes you powerful isn’t how fast you can produce. It’s how clearly you can think. If we forget how to pause, reflect, wrestle with nuance, write with intention, and speak with purpose, we don’t just lose our edge… We lose ourselves. So sure, use the tools, but guard your mind. It’s still your most powerful creative weapon.
And if you’re building something meaningful, your business, your message, your legacy, you need more than algorithms and automations. You need clarity. You need alignment. You need a strategy rooted in identity.
Want to build something real—something that sounds and feels like you? Let’s talk about the Brand Becoming Blueprint™, a strategic, values-driven process designed to align your brand and business with who you truly are.
Whether you need brand clarity, strategic support, or a voice that’s unmistakably yours… I’ve got your back.
The Brand Storyteller is a Charlotte-based branding agency that helps purpose-driven leaders, entrepreneurs, and businesses build powerful, authentic brands. We specialize in brand discovery, messaging development, content creation, and fractional CMO services—all designed to help you connect with your audience and grow with purpose. Led by Deevo Tindall, a nationally recognized branding expert and master storyteller, our team works closely with clients to craft meaningful narratives, clarify their brand voice, and develop strategies that stand out in today’s competitive market.