From Uncertain to Engaged: My Start with Generative AI

I didn’t grow up around tech. I went to university in the late 90s, when the internet was slow and unpredictable and no one carried a laptop to lectures. So it still surprises me that part of my work today is helping clients get comfortable with generative AI.

I didn’t take to it straight away. My early reaction was a mix of indifference, discomfort and, at times, a bit of dread. But it has also changed how I think about my work and what’s possible for the clients I support.

When AI First Appeared, I Ignored It

When the first stories about generative AI emerged, I assumed it wasn’t for me. It felt like something aimed at techies or younger people. At the time I was focused on leading teams and projects, not experimenting with new tools.

Then ChatGPT arrived.

I tried it, felt underwhelmed, and ignored it again.

That shifted during my master’s at the University of Sussex. I watched classmates use AI in ways I hadn’t considered. They weren’t just speeding up tasks. They were approaching their work differently. That’s when the unease really set in. It felt like everyone else was moving ahead while I was still deciding whether to look at it properly.

Learning, Slowly

Like many people who feel overwhelmed, I started with Google searches and articles that made everything feel more complicated than it needed to be.

The turning point was realising I could simply ask the tools themselves.

I tried small, low-risk tasks like drafting an email or summarising notes. It wasn’t dramatic, but it was enough to feed my curiosity to keep going.

Building Confidence

Each small experiment made things less mysterious. I began to see where AI could help and where it couldn’t. I stopped expecting it to be perfect and started treating it as something I could question, test and adapt.

Mixed Feelings Make Sense

I still feel uneasy at times, especially about the speed of change and the impact it might have on work, learning and the world my daughter grows up in. But I’m also energised by the practical benefits. I often think back to earlier roles and imagine how different some projects would have been with tools like these.

Engagement Matters More Than Expertise

After a couple of years going deep with these tools I'm now convinced that you don’t need to become a technical expert. But if we don’t engage with AI, we lose the ability to guide how it shows up in our lives and our work.

That’s the space I work in with clients. Many arrive feeling unsure, pressed for time or worried they’ve already fallen behind. My job is to help them move from uncertainty to steady, practical use that supports the way they already work.

Closing Thought

My start with generative AI wasn’t smooth or fast. It was slow, uneven and sometimes uncomfortable. But that’s a normal way in. And for many of the leaders I work with, it’s the most realistic path.

If you’re at that early stage - curious, unsure, or both - the most important step is simply to begin. Pick something small, try it, and see what you learn from it. Over time the noise settles, and the value becomes easier to see.