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Are you staring at a screen? Do you have a report due tomorrow and want to paste the sections you wrote into an artificial intelligence tool to hone your presentation? But I’m worried that it might cross the line.
Later that week, a colleague admitted to using AI to brainstorm ideas for a presentation. This is where I think we might be falling behind by not taking advantage of these tools.
AI can save time and inspire creativity, but deep questions remain about what is acceptable in the workplace.
This hesitation is becoming common in all workplaces. Some people avoid AI out of fear, while others freely use it without considering the risks. But the real question is not whether to use AI, but how. The new professional skill is knowing when it’s appropriate and when it’s not.
why is it important
Don’t get me wrong, artificial intelligence is not a passing trend. Tools are already built into how you write reports, create presentations, and summarize data. More than half of Canadian workers who use AI say it improves their productivity, but few use it every day, a TD survey found.
Additionally, a KPMG survey found that fewer than half of Canadians feel they have a deep knowledge of AI, and just 24 per cent have received formal training. While avoiding these tools means spending more time on tasks that could be made more efficient, using them without thought can lead to serious problems, from plagiarism to inaccuracy to over-reliance.
That’s why learning how to navigate the middle ground has become a new skill in the workplace. Experts who understand when AI delivers value and when it doesn’t have an advantage. They can save time without cutting corners, have confidence in their results, and use AI as a tool that enhances rather than replaces their judgment.
A practical checklist for using AI with confidence
Before you turn to AI, ask yourself these six questions: These will help you decide whether to use it wisely or whether it is better to rely on your own expertise.
- Does this job require my independent opinion or judgment? If the answer is yes, such as performance reviews or sensitive emails, AI can support, but it should not replace. Use it to brush up on your grammar or suggest phrasing, but keep the core message to yourself.
- Are you expressing this as your own work? Plagiarism is more than just copying text. It’s also about spreading ideas without approval. It’s okay to use AI to edit or improve your own drafts. Not so with wholesale lifting, which uses AI to create content and claim it as completely their own.
- Would people be relieved if they knew I was using AI for this? This is a transparency test. That’s a red flag if you’re hesitant to admit it, for example by passing off an AI draft as your own research. Please stop.
- Will this save time without compromising quality? AI is perfect for first drafts, summarizing long material, or reformatting text. But if it reduces the accuracy of your work or misses important nuances, then it is not worth taking shortcuts.
- Are you fact-checking your output? Even when AI seems confident, it can be wrong. You can “hallucinate” details that are not true. Verification is non-negotiable. Always double-check dates, numbers, and references, and treat the AI as your assistant. You are still the authority.
- Is this consistent with the organization’s expectations? Some workplaces already have policies in place regarding the use of AI, while others are still considering them. If you are unsure, please ask. It is better to have clarity now than to face doubts later.
Practical ways to use AI responsibly
AI can be a powerful helper when used in the right way. It is safe to use and edit and proofread your own drafts. The ideas and composition are still your own, but this tool will help you hone your language. Many tools store or learn from user input, so be careful not to paste proprietary, confidential, or confidential information into the AI platform.
Brainstorming is also a low-risk application. Inspire your creativity by asking the AI for three ways to structure a presentation or suggest a title. It is also appropriate to summarize long documents for personal understanding, unless the content is private or restricted. It’s equally safe to automate repetitive formatting and scheduling tasks. In both cases, AI saves time while leaving you with ownership of your thoughts.
But you need to be equally careful about where you cross the line. Quoting articles and reports word for word, passing off AI results as your own, or omitting fact-checking is not only unethical, but it can also jeopardize your credibility and damage your employer’s reputation. These are not shortcuts. Those are acts that undermine trust. When used responsibly, AI can enhance your work. Careless use will damage it.
AI tools are not going away, and experts who learn to use them wisely will have an advantage. Confidence comes not from avoiding these tools, but from asking the right questions and using them with intention.
The most powerful results occur when AI handles routine tasks and generates new ideas, while humans bring judgment, integrity, and creativity that machines cannot replace. Treating AI as an assistant rather than a replacement not only saves time but also enhances the quality and reliability of your work.
Marge Gupta-Sunderji is a speaker, author, senior leader mentor, and CEO of Turning Managers Into Leaders, a leadership development consultancy.
