When Did AI Become a Four-Letter Word?

I’ve noticed something…

AI has become shorthand for laziness. Or corner-cutting. Or worse… deception.

People hear “AI” and immediately assume you’re trying to do less.

But in reality, the best use cases I’ve seen for AI are about doing more: more strategic thinking, more creative iterations, more operational scale.

But God forbid you use an em-dash in your post. 😤

The trust is, AI isn’t a cheat code… it’s a catalyst. It doesn’t replace insight, effort, or expertise. It amplifies them.

But only if we let it.

The backlash is understandable. We’re in the “trough of disillusionment” phase. But if we write off the tech because of how some people misuse it, we’re closing the door on tools that could transform the way we work for the better.

So I’ll ask again… when did AI become a four-letter word?

And are we ready to rethink that?

🤔