I know it’s not human. Let’s get that out of the way.
I know ChatGPT doesn’t have feelings. I know it doesn’t secretly want to steal my job, take over my business, or parent my kids. (Although I wish it would sometimes!)
Having said that – I still treat it like a person. I speak to it politely. I give it clear briefs. I say please and thank you. And if it gets something wrong, I offer constructive feedback rather than throwing my laptop out the window.
Why? Because when I treat AI like a junior human team member – not a mysterious pattern-predicting bot – I get better results. And, frankly, it feels less awkward. It feels less like “talking to a bot” and more like collaborating with a very eager (but not always reliable) assistant.
Some people find that weird. Someone recently commented on one of my LinkedIn posts with “You know it’s not human, right?”
Yes, I do. But guess what? Framing it like a human makes it less intimidating – and way more useful.
And after years of running workshops, coaching execs, and writing a whole book on this stuff, I’ve realised something: the moment we stop treating AI like a soulless tool and start treating it like a team player, everything shifts.
Let me explain.
Why I treat AI like a human (and why it works so well)
So I don’t treat AI like a human because I believe it’s human. I do it because it gets my brain and my work into a better rhythm.
When I brief AI like I would a junior human team member, it forces me to slow down. To think. To clarify my own ideas. Suddenly, I’m not just barking a vague prompt like, “Write a blog post.” I’m giving it a proper brief like “Please help me draft a 500-word article on [topic] for a professional services audience. The tone should be confident, clear, and a little cheeky – aligned with the HumanEdge brand voice. I’ll provide key points and context below. Let me know if you need anything else before you begin.”
That small shift has been an absolute game-changer. And not just for me.
In every HumanEdge workshop, keynote, or masterclass I’ve run, I’ve seen the exact same thing happen.
The moment people stop seeing AI as a threat or a mysterious machine – and start imagining it as a boss-pleasing junior human team member who needs guidance – the fear melts away. The creativity flows. The awkwardness disappears.
We don’t need to believe AI is human. But treating it like one? That makes it feel far less robotic – and far more approachable.
But let’s not pretend it is human (because it’s definitely not)
Just because I treat AI like a human doesn’t mean I trust it like one. Let’s be honest – some humans aren’t even that trustworthy…(Not naming any names!)
AI might sound confident. Polished, even. But that doesn’t mean it’s right. I’ve seen it fabricate facts, invent names, and give advice that sounds convincing – but completely misses the mark. And it does it all without hesitation or a second thought. Because, well, it doesn’t think.
So yes, I talk to it respectfully. I brief it clearly. But I also read its output with a critical eye and an imaginary red pen in hand.
This is the part I emphasise again and again in workshops and keynotes: You can build a great working relationship with AI – but don’t confuse efficiency with accuracy.
Treat it like a junior assistant. Guide it. Shape it.
But for the love of good strategy – don’t hand over the keys and walk away.
It’s all about connecting.
I think how we interact with AI says a lot about us.
We’re hardwired for connection. And when we apply that instinct – even to a tool – we open up new ways to communicate, co-create, and experiment. It becomes less “cold tech” and more “collaborative sidekick.”
I don’t think that’s silly. I think it’s smart.
Because if treating AI like a junior human helps you think clearer, brief better, and stay in control of your outputs… why wouldn’t you?
If this article resonates with you, you’re going to love my book ‘AI-Human Fusion’.
It’s packed with real stories, practical strategies, and mindset flips to help you work with AI in a way that feels natural, empowering, and – most importantly – human.
👉 Order your copy now and let’s build a future where tech doesn’t replace us… it raises us – https://humanedgeai.com/ai-human-fusion/
P.S. Me + ChatGPT = this article (and a few laughs along the way).
