Leanne Shelton: How to stay human and connected in the age of AI

What if chasing productivity is costing us something important like connection, creativity, and purpose?

Right now, AI tools are everywhere. They’re speeding things up, automating the boring bits, and promising to revolutionise the way we work. But they’re also making many of us feel uneasy, disconnected and replaceable.

This is especially the case for women, whose roles are statistically more at risk of automation, yet whose voices are often missing in AI’s development. That’s a problem, because if only one group is shaping the future of these tools, we end up with bias baked into the code – and a large proportion of humanity left out of the loop.

We can’t afford to bury our heads in the sand and resist AI. But we can choose to use it on our terms.

This article will explore how you can stay grounded, intentional, and deeply human in a technological world that’s moving faster than ever.

Don’t fall for the productivity trap

AI is often sold to us as the ultimate time-saver. Need 10 social media posts in 10 seconds? Done. Want to summarise a 60-page report before your next meeting? Sorted. But here’s the catch: faster doesn’t always mean better. And ‘more productive‘ doesn’t always mean more valuable.

In fact, a Gartner survey found that 77 per cent of people said AI tools actually decreased their productivity. Why? Because they got lost down rabbit holes of trial and error, used tools that didn’t quite fit their needs, or spent more time fixing AI-generated work than if they’d just done it themselves.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of doing more – generating more content, automating more processes, jumping onto more platforms – without stopping to ask if any of it is meaningful. Or human.

Before you get swept away by the next shiny AI tool, I recommend pausing and asking yourself:

• Does this tool free up space for deeper work or connection?
• Does it enhance my strengths or make me feel disconnected from my own ideas?
• Am I using it intentionally or just trying to keep up?

If the answer feels off, go with your gut instinct. It might be time to hit the brakes and reassess how and why you’re using AI. That’s because sometimes the most powerful thing you can do isn’t to automate but to opt out. Not from AI itself, but from the pressure to use it like everyone else, because it’s possible they’re using it wrong.

Don’t outsource all your thinking

Too often, people let the tech take over – copying and pasting AI-generated content without a second thought or relying on it to make decisions for them. This results in generic work, watered-down ideas, and a growing disconnect between creator and creation.

Used well, AI can be a powerful partner. It can help you move past procrastination, offer a first draft when your brain is fried, or tidy up your grammar. It can spark creativity but it shouldn’t replace it.

This is especially important for women. We bring nuance, empathy, and context to the table – qualities AI simply can’t replicate. And yet, without our voices actively shaping how these tools are used, we risk building systems that flatten that richness into something… well, robotic.

Human connection is not optional

No chatbot can replicate that feeling of being truly seen and heard. No auto-generated email can replace the warmth of a real conversation. And no algorithm can mirror the subtle magic of two humans brainstorming over coffee.

We learned this the hard way during COVID lockdowns. Remember how desperate we became for eye contact, banter, or even a real handshake? Fast-forward to today, and we’re quietly (and ironically) letting digital convenience take over again, and this time by choice.

So please remember not to automate the parts of your work that make you feel most human. Keep real conversations in your calendar. Add personal touches where it counts. And when you do use AI, make sure it supports connection, not strips it away. Because no matter how good the tech gets, people will always choose people.

Choose connection over convenience

AI isn’t the villain here. It’s a tool – one that can either distance us or deepen what we do, depending on how we use it. So let’s not get swept up in the noise. Let’s get intentional.

I suggest you start small. Use AI to reduce the mental load, not your creative spark. Let it support you, not speak for you. And most importantly, keep checking in with yourself: Does this still feel human? Does this still feel like me?

Because staying human in the age of AI needs to be a conscious choice. And I believe making the right choices and building healthy AI habits is absolutely essential right now.