I Don't Like AI!
STANDING BETWEEN DOUBT AND DISCOVERY EQUALS FRUSTRATION
…It was an ordinary day at the office with an interesting moment.
Nothing dramatic. Nothing groundbreaking. Just one of those small moments, forgettable interactions that usually disappears before the day ends.
But this one stayed with me.
I was conversing with a colleague, let’s call this person B, when another colleague - C, walked in, seeking assistance. C needed help drafting a letter to renew an annual service engagement with a known client. C kindly requested that B share an already existing letter to serve as a template for renewing the service engagement for the new year. C made this request with the hope of getting an already existing exact templates to reuse, probably to change just the date and time, since the intent of the letter remained the same.
B searched for a template but couldn’t find it at the time.
Almost instinctively, I said,
“Why not just use AI to draft it quickly?”
B nodded in agreement as it would ease the work and allow for speed. It felt like the quickest solution.
Then C replied, calmly but firmly: “I don’t like AI.”
Not angry. Not loud. Just final. Like a door closing…
After that incident, we moved on with our day. But I didn’t move on from that sentence. Because it wasn’t just about C.
It felt like the voice of many people.
The Quiet Resistance
Later, I kept replaying it in my mind.
“I don’t like AI.”
And I asked myself: Why do so many people feel this way?
These are not lazy people.
Not incompetent people.
Not people who fear growth.
They are intelligent, capable professionals.
Yet when AI comes up, there’s hesitation, discomfort, and even rejection.
Then it hit me!
Maybe people don’t hate Generative AI.
Maybe they’re just frustrated by it.
They tried it once. It gave poor results. It sounded robotic. It didn’t “understand” them. So they concluded: “This isn’t for me.”
But that’s like trying to drive a car once, stalling the engine, and deciding cars don’t work
What AI really is (and what it is not)
Let’s slow down and demystify it.
Generative AI is not a robot trying to replace you.
It is not cheating.
It is not a threat to your intelligence.
AI is simply:
A thinking assistant. It is a tool that helps you:
Write faster.
Research quicker.
Organize ideas.
Automate repetitive tasks.
Save time and energy.
It doesn’t remove your brain. It supports your brain.
Just like calculators didn’t kill mathematics. Just like Google didn’t kill knowledge. AI doesn’t replace humans.
It amplifies humans.
The Real Problem: Prompting
If I’m being honest, I suspect my colleague’s frustration wasn’t about AI itself.
It was probably about not knowing how to talk to it.
Because here’s the truth most people don’t realize:
AI is only as smart as your instructions.
If you say:
“Write a letter”
You’ll get something flat and generic.
But if you say:
“Write a professional letter requesting renewal of a one-year service engagement. Keep it polite, formal, and concise. Address it to a corporate partner.”
The result changes completely.
It’s the same tool with different outcome.
The difference? Clarity.
How to use AI properly (My simple guide)
Over time, I’ve learned that using AI is less about technology and more about communication.
Here’s the technique I personally follow:
1. Be specific about the task:
What exactly do you want? Draft? Summarize? Edit? Explain?Simplify? Expound?
2. Give context:
Who is it for? What tone? What goal?
3. Define the format
Email, article, report, speech, bullet points?
4. Refine and improve
Ask it to:
Make it shorter.
Sound more professional.
Simplify language.
Add examples, where needed.
Learn to narrate your needs well.
Take your time to express your needs deeply. The more clearly you express your needs, the better and more accurate the AI’s response will be.
Rewrite better.
Write well.
AI improves through proper conversation. Treat it like an assistant, not a vending machine.
“What happens when you finally Get It”
Something interesting happens when you master AI.
Work becomes lighter.
Tasks that took two hours take twenty minutes.
You stop staring at blank pages.
You think faster.
You produce more.
You LEARN.
Imagine:
Drafting reports in minutes.
Creating proposals instantly.
Generating ideas without mental blocks.
Designing presentations effortlessly.
Summarizing long meetings automatically.
That’s not laziness, that’s efficiency.
And in today’s world, Efficiency is Power.
Yes - You can Actually Make Money with AI
This is the part many people overlook.
AI is not just a convenience tool.
It’s an income tool.
People today are earning because they understand it.
They:
Write content and blogs faster.
Manage social media pages.
Design graphics with Canva AI.
Offer resume and proposal writing.
Create YouTube scripts.
Automate small businesses.
Freelance as researchers and virtual assistants.
Build digital products.
The truth is simple:
The person who uses AI will outperform the person who refuses it.
Not because they’re smarter, but because they’re faster.
The Future We Can’t Ignore
Here’s the uncomfortable reality.
Ten years from now, workplaces will not ask:
“Do you know how to use AI?”
It will be assumed.
Just like email.
Just like Microsoft Word.
Just like the internet.
Those who adapt will move ahead effortlessly.
Those who resist may struggle to compete.
History has never been kind to people who reject useful tools.
Change doesn’t wait for our comfort.
It rewards our willingness.
Easy Generative AI tools anyone can start with
You don’t need anything complicated or expensive.
Start simple.
Free or freemium Options
ChatGPT
Google Gemini
DeepSeek
Canva AI tools
Grammarly
Notion AI (limited free use)
Generative AI with Affordable subscriptions
ChatGPT Plus
Canva Pro
Jasper AI
Copy.ai
CapCut AI for videos
One tool is enough to begin.
Master one before chasing many.
A Personal Reflection
When I think back to that moment in the office, I didn’t judge anyone. I understood the situation. Because new things can be uncomfortable.
But I also know this: The world is changing too fast for us to say,
“I don’t like AI.”
Maybe the better sentence is:
“Teach me how to use AI.”
Because sometimes the tool we resist is the very tool that unlocks our next level.
And I would hate for brilliant, capable people to be left behind simply because they didn’t try.
Written by:
Wonderfullove Pius,
Communications & Policy Officer,
Clement Isong Foundation.
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