Artificial intelligence is changing how we work, run businesses and think about the skills that will matter in the future. But while AI can help us work faster and take on tasks that once required more time or resources, the human side of business is becoming even more important.
In this week’s long-listen, I joined Brenda Cormican on The Business Show on Loughrea Community Radio for a wide-ranging conversation about life, business and, of course, AI.
We talked about my journey from journalism and PR into digital marketing and artificial intelligence, how I use AI in my own working day, and why I believe business owners need to move beyond simply experimenting with tools like ChatGPT. Pasted text
From journalism to artificial intelligence
My career began in journalism, and communication has remained at the heart of everything I have done since.
As technology evolved, so did my work. Journalism led to PR, digital marketing and social media, and then generative AI arrived.
When I first saw ChatGPT, I immediately recognised that it would disrupt knowledge-based businesses like mine. Instead of resisting that change, I made a commitment to understand it.
That meant researching AI, practising with the technology, launching the daily AI SIX podcast, writing the AI Playbook and eventually studying AI and public policy at Harvard Kennedy School. Pasted text
For me, learning AI has never been purely theoretical. You have to use it, test it and understand where it works and where it fails.
How I use AI in my business
One of the questions Brenda asked was how AI fits into my own working day.
I use AI as an assistant across different parts of my business. My morning briefing can bring together outstanding emails, my calendar and the latest AI news. I also use agents to support research, prepare presentations and help me get ready for meetings and training. Pasted text
This is where businesses can begin to see the difference between simply chatting with AI and integrating it into useful workflows.
For small businesses in particular, AI can help address two persistent challenges: capacity and cost. It can take on repetitive work and give business owners more space to focus on the areas where their expertise and creativity are most valuable. Pasted text
AI should challenge us, not simply agree with us
We also talked about one of the frustrations many people experience with AI assistants: they can be far too agreeable.
If we use AI without thinking critically about its responses, there is a risk that we begin outsourcing our judgement along with the task.
One way I address this is by explicitly asking AI to act as a critic, challenge my views and ask clarifying questions before answering.
Context matters. Instead of simply asking AI to “improve my copy”, explain who the copy is for, where it will appear and what you need it to achieve.
I think of AI as a junior assistant. You can delegate work, but you remain responsible for reviewing it, questioning it and making the final decision. Pasted text
Why human skills will become more valuable
As AI becomes more capable, there is understandably a lot of discussion about what happens to jobs.
But there is another side to that conversation: what becomes more valuable because of AI?
I believe human connection, emotional intelligence, communication, creativity and negotiation will become increasingly important.
AI can generate text, images and ideas, but our working lives still depend on trust, relationships and human judgement. As more of our time is spent interacting with technology, there may also be an even greater appetite for genuine face-to-face connection. Pasted text
The goal should not be to hand everything over to AI. It should be to understand where the technology can make us more capable while protecting the distinctly human skills it cannot replace.
You don’t have to start with work
For anyone who still feels intimidated by AI, my advice is simple: you don’t have to start in the workplace.
Experiment with something low-risk in your everyday life.
Ask AI for ideas for dinner. Use it to explore how a different wallpaper or paint colour might look in your home. Try something connected to a hobby or personal interest.
The objective is to build confidence and competency before applying the technology to more important tasks. Pasted text
AI is a technology you learn by doing.
Building what comes next
The conversation also gave me an opportunity to reflect on receiving the Established Businesswoman of the Year recognition and what comes next for my own business.
One of my biggest areas of focus is GovComms.ai, a platform I am developing around my experience working with government and public-sector communications.
It represents the next stage of my own journey with AI: not simply using the technology to make existing work faster, but exploring how years of knowledge and experience can be transformed into something new. Pasted text
That is ultimately what excites me most about this moment.
AI is changing quickly, and none of us can know exactly where it will take us. But we can learn, experiment and make deliberate choices about how we use it.
The technology may change the way we work, but humans still need to decide where we want it to take us.
About the Podcast Host
AI and Communications Specialist | Author | Podcaster | International Speaker
Joanne Sweeney is a recognised leader in digital marketing and digital transformation, specialising in the practical application of AI to enhance communication strategies. The founder of Digital Training Institute, Joanne, empowers leaders and communications professionals to leverage AI responsibly and effectively, ensuring transparency, trust, and tangible results.
She completed the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Programme in AI and Public Policy this summer before launching her fourth book AI Playbook, in September. Joanne has also published two editions of Public Sector Marketing Pro, which were preceded by her first title, Social Media Under Investigation Law Enforcement and the Social Web.
Her books have become go-to resources for governments, public sector and policing agencies, as well as marketing and communications professionals, all navigating the challenges of the changing Internet.
Joanne is the host of the AI SIX Podcast, a daily six-minute podcast that provides actionable insights, expert interviews, and practical advice to help professionals navigate the new world of work.
