An intern’s take on integrating generative AI in the workplace and in daily life
07.25.25
Renee Kurie
Intern
An intern’s take on integrating generative AI in the workplace and in daily life
“AI won’t steal your job, but someone who knows how to use AI will,” is a statement I hear more frequently as I enter my senior year at Syracuse University where students are encouraged to get familiar with Generative AI tools.
Throughout my summer internship at Invision, I have seen firsthand how different departments here utilize this tool in various ways. As Generative AI use begins to be commonplace in the workplace, I believe it is important for us to be curious and open to understanding this technology. We’ve seen the movies where robots take over the world, but with intentional use and understanding, I believe AI can actually enhance a digitally progressive culture and support a high-performing workforce.
My exploration of AI tools
When I found out that some peers at school were using AI tools I’d never even heard of to perform tasks I hadn’t imagined possible, I suddenly felt like I was falling behind in the AI race. After some guidance and exploration during my time at Invision, my perspective on AI changed dramatically, and I can see the possibilities.
I began exploring Generative AI by first researching how these programs work and where they source their information before actually using them. Once I felt more confident, my roommate and I, both busy students, used Notion AI to improve our grocery spending. After brainstorming dinner ideas based on ingredients we already had, (including the unopened sardines sitting in the back of our pantry), we used the tool to compare grocery stores in the area and figure out where to buy specific items at the lowest prices.
I also explored free LinkedIn Learning tutorials to improve my prompting skills and better understand how to communicate with these programs. Through hands-on exploration and learning, I’m able to see where AI works well in my life, and where it falls short. I find it most helpful to think of AI as an “assistant,” rather than a replacement. For example, it’s especially useful with the initial steps of a project by creating an outline, or for later to help organize your thoughts and ideas or identifying patterns you might have missed.
“Right” and “wrong” ways of using AI
MIT Study Finds that ChatGPT is Making People Dumber is a scary headline to read while simultaneously being encouraged to adopt this technology. The key is being intentional with your AI usage when integrating it in your daily life. Generative AI is not here to replace original, creative thinking—it can’t even create original thoughts by itself. Instead, it’s a tool that can call on and learn from already existing information to help you with what you need. For example, programs may be good at generating insights, or analyzing data, but the human creativity and critical thinking we bring to a project are what truly make an impact. It’s vital that we make time for original thought, brainstorming, and review even if it is challenging or takes longer than AI would. I think that this intentional use of AI can help you reach greater depths in your role by allowing you to carve out more time for the work that matters most. And I would argue that it can help you carve out more time for the work that challenges you most.
Use of Gen AI in my studies
In my Advertising Research class, I conducted 1-on-1 interviews to understand how students perceive a certain brand and its competitor. After recording my conversations, I uploaded the recording into Otter.ai to transcribe the interviews. The transcriptions weren’t perfect, but it allowed me to focus on my interviewee and ask relevant follow up questions instead of scrambling to write down everything said. I then uploaded the transcript into ChatGPT to help me conduct a thematic and content analysis of the conversation. ChatGPT highlighted the best quotes from the transcript that reflected the interviewees’ emotions and provided an accurate count of repeated words and phrases to support my analysis. While I was able to recognize key sentiments during the interviews, AI helped surface the most compelling examples and accurately track repeated words and phrases. This allowed me to focus more on the next stage of the project which involved developing marketing recommendations based on the research. By saving time on tedious tasks (such as gathering and documenting information), I was able to apply the additional time to analyzing the information to make stronger conclusions.
Final thoughts
AI is clearly here to stay, as evidenced by its growing presence in higher education and corporate America. Now is the time to take advantage and become familiar with this technology in order to keep pace with the evolving landscape of digital innovation. As I continue to grow as both a student and a future professional, I’m excited to explore how these tools can enhance my skills and creativity. I look forward to a future where generative AI is used intentionally, supported by training and accessible resources that empower employees in their work. When applied thoughtfully, I believe AI can create more space for us to be creative, strategic, and curious. That’s the future I’m hopeful for and ready to be a part of.