Twenty years ago, we dismissed social media as a distraction. Today, we dismiss artificial intelligence as a threat. We were wrong then. Let’s not be wrong now.

The fact of the matter is those who leaned into the social media movement back then built personal brands, community engagement and revenue streams that redefined entire industries. The same hesitation and anxiety are now surfacing around artificial intelligence.

Once again, we are being asked to make a choice — resist change or rise with it.

Artificial intelligence is not something to fear. It is not a gimmick or a serious threat to professionals.

It is a tool, and in today’s fast-paced, ever evolving economy, tools matter.

I’ve spent over a decade guiding leaders, navigating high-stakes moments, managing reputations and building influence across the public and private sectors. I’ve worked at the intersection of government, public relations, business development and executive advising. I’ve been in boardrooms with presidents, statewide elected officials and legal teams. I’ve served as the final signoff on press releases, legal statements, crisis messaging and brand strategies.

My work has always been grounded in one thing: ethics.

I take originality and professional integrity seriously. Every document I’ve submitted or published has gone through multiple rounds of approval. Legal departments, regulatory teams and the president of the company all required sign-off. This is the norm in high-level corporate environments. Your work is never just your own. It is reviewed, shaped, edited and approved by others.

AI does not change that process.

It enhances it.

Artificial intelligence offers us a starting point. It helps us eliminate the blank page. It generates structure, tone and clarity in seconds. It frees us to refine, lead and execute without wasting hours on formatting. It moves us from ideas to execution faster than ever before.

Just this year, Microsoft rolled out Copilot across its entire productivity suite, embedding AI into how millions of professionals draft emails, analyze data and manage meetings. AI isn’t on the sidelines anymore. It’s sitting at every desk, quietly shaping the way we work.

The fear that AI is “cheating” misunderstands what professionals actually do. We build relationships, make decisions, influence outcomes and navigate nuances. No machine can replace that. What AI can do is remove the friction that slows us down.

I often compare this moment to the rollout of ATMs in the late 1960s. By the 1970s, people were convinced that bank tellers would lose their jobs. That never happened. Instead, tellers were freed from repetitive tasks and able to focus more on customer service, trust-building and high-value interactions. The same transformation is possible now. AI can remove busywork so professionals can spend more time thinking strategically, solving problems and leading teams.

I work with clients in every sector. Many of them tell me they’re afraid of using AI. They worry that it will change too much. They fear it’s not “real” work. But the truth is, artificial intelligence is already changing how we work. The question is not whether it will be part of your world — it already is. The real question is whether you will engage with it intentionally or get left behind by those who do.

If you’re a restaurant manager, AI can help you optimize your scheduling and reduce no-shows. If you’re in HR, it can help you screen resumes faster so you can spend more time mentoring and developing people. If you’re in communications, it can help you generate a first draft so you can spend more time shaping the message instead of wrestling with the page.

Artificial intelligence is not a threat to your profession. It is a tool that will allow you to work smarter, faster and more creatively. In my own consulting firm, I help my clients use AI to improve workflows, generate insights and save time. It has freed up the capacity to take on more projects, deepen relationships and serve clients at a higher level.

I leave you with this. If you are not using AI, you are already far behind. This is not a trend you can afford to ignore. The time to start is now. Do the research. Learn the tools. Test them for yourself.

In today’s business world, you don’t need more money, more connections or a cutting-edge idea. You need to work smarter and faster than everyone else. AI is how you do that. It’s not optional anymore, it’s essential.

Bradley Harris is the founder of Bradley Harris & Associates.