I have so much to say about this post... first of all... the illustrations are *incredible*, and how you pulled them out of the main hero illustration was genius!
The whole time, I was thinking - "which orange am i?" and then I kept going back and forth until I decided I was all of them. 🤣 That made it so much fun for me to read.
But honestly, reading a post like this coming from someone like you (who yes, has some very real credentials) is just so refreshing... relatable.. and overall comforting. You're right, we are all going through AI experiences that are unique to us.... and at the same time, I think that's why so many of us have imposter syndrome! Always wondering if there's a more "technical" way we should be doing things.
But thank you for reassuring us. The message in here definitely makes less ashamed that i'm not the most tech-savvy. And shifts the mindset from "i'm so far behind" to wondering what i can do next :)
Thank you for such a well though-out, beautifully crafted post Alyssa. I genuinely enjoyed it.
Thank you thank you so much for this beautiful comment, Natalie. I had so many feelings (and writer’s block!) trying to get this post out. But what kept me going was knowing that my experience isn’t just me, and I believe so much in you and me and everyone who commented on this post and everyone who feels the same way outside this post, that we want AI to be and do something different for us and society than what we have today, and it just feels possible in ways we’re still figuring out together.
Alyssa, I love your article, but I mostly wanted to comment on your AMAZING art! It is so cute and whimsical and I LOVE IT!! It must be so fun to create (and animate?). Love seeing the different ways creative people create besides just words on a page :)
Caitlin, this means so much to me coming from an art expert like yourself! I love creating these illustrations and this one in particular. I haven’t done much animation but Natalie Nicholson inspired me with hers so I tested it for this one. 😁 It’s simple but I love it! And I agree with you. There is just a different part of the soul that opens up with art beyond words.
aww thank you for your kind words! I am in no way an art expert lol but thank you! I do come from an artistic family (though I didn't inherit any traditional art skills - my grandpa was a watercolour painter and my aunt was a painter who worked mainly in acrylics - i have quite a few of my grandpas paintings in my house - and a couple of my aunts as well...! :) i did love to draw when I was younger though so I guess I do have a tiny bit of an artistic bone in my body 😄
I relate to so much of this - the imposter syndrome, the 'what, you can just talk to AI' realisation. It so important to 'de-tech' the conversation around AI. If you have good communication skills, if you can give a creative brief to a colleague - you can use AI.
💯💯And I appreciate so much your hot takes on gendered dynamics around AI. We’re all contributing to this conversation in our own way, and I love to see it.
I literally posted two days ago that this space makes me want to become a developer because it looks so much easier to use AI with a technical background. I'm slowly learning that's not necessarily true...
What you describe as the new technical skills look very much like soft/human core skills...and at the age of "everything AI" i think it's beautiful to see that it's a time for our human skills to shine. That said, while AI breaks down a lot of barriers, I'm still wondering about its inclusivity on many levels starting with the most basic one: access. Many tools are free but limited and staying ahead will likely still depend on having the financial means to stack and combine different tools...
Loved reading this! Also, love your hand-drawn illustrations! Procreate?
I just saw that note! I was excited to see it. I like the idea of doing and being both and that the idea of what a “developer” is will shift. I also think there’s power in the identities we claim. So if you want to call yourself as a developer as you start to actually develop (emphasis) products with AI, I say do it. That’s part of how these ideas and roles start to shift.
I love this post and it's exactly why I created M(AI)VENS! As a "non-techy" woman myself, I hope to encourage more like me to jump into AI. We're wired perfectly for this revolution! 💃
That’s perfect! I want to see AI open up opportunities for women and other underrepresented groups take advantage of these tools used to gain power and status but were previously inaccessible. It’s so exciting to see you doing it!
Love the reframe on what technical even means now. The shift from precision/logic/code to articulation/interpretation/iteration is spot-on, and I've noticed the same dynamic where what used ot feel like a skills gap is actually more about being comfortable with ambiguity. The custom GPT hallucination hunting you described captures that perfectly, its not about engineering prowess, its about catching when the AI drifts and knowing how to redirect it back.
💯💯The biggest shift I had to make was going from “AI should just work” (like code more consistently does) to “the work is in the conversation.” And it suits my style more and for many that don’t come from technical backgrounds. I want to see us break stuff and make it better. 😈
My enthusiasm for tech has been treated with a pat on the head by so many my whole life. Thank goodness for spaces and tools that have come along to help me be vocal in a way that they cant stop me. And booo to all of those that say these things for leading us to think that we are not enough because we are not exactly like them. Love this post. Resonates deeply.
Your first sentence hits me in the chest. And I’m so glad to hear you had support. I feel the same way in my journey. Thank you for your comment. It’s the small interactions like these that contribute in their own way to larger change.
Love this and your journey, Alyssa. I was actually told I was “too technical” in my role as a way to dampen my ambitions, so your piece really hit that no‑win feeling from the other side of the spectrum. It was so energizing to see how you frame relational skills as the real technical edge in AI, non‑“tech” folks are absolutely stepping into power‑user roles, and your language gives them both a map and permission to claim that expertise. Thank you for showing so clearly that the leverage is in how we articulate, interpret, and iterate with these systems, not in memorizing one more stack, and I’m excited to dive into more of your work.
The “too technical” comment infuriates me, yet again that double standard. It really makes me want to break things. 😆 One of the points that emerged for me as I wrote this was the idea that “non-technical” folks, once they’re empowered, aren’t going to put with BS technical window dressing. They’re going to just shoot right past it and find ways to use AI in ways “technical” folks couldn’t imagine. I don’t yet know exactly how that will pan out, but at least it feels possible.
Thanks for this great piece, Alyssa, and for reminding everyone that they definitely do belong in the world of AI, no matter what the patriarchy might say otherwise. I love the idea of using AI; it is basically just talking to AI, and I couldn't agree more, especially since I've started using Wispr Flow. Thanks again for the brilliant piece.
The shift from precisoin and logic to noticing interpretation gaps is spot on. I ran into this whe building custom GPTs, kept thinking I needed to master some technical layer, but the real breakthroughs came from treating it like I'd treat explaining something to a colleague. That reframing alone unlocked way more than any prompt engineering tutorial.
💯💯 That’s really what spurred me to write this. Because over and over again I find myself saying, “That’s it?” Not toward the output, because what we can produce now with AI is incredible. But because to get there, it’s so much easier than the predominant narrative makes it seem.
What a post!! The "two worlds of AI" section is exactly what I've been experiencing but couldn't name.
When people talk about "prompt engineering" I'm like... I'm just telling it what I want? And when they say "provide context" I'm thinking, yeah, that's just... how conversations work? It's weird how much engineering language gets wrapped around what is essentially "be clear about what you mean."
Thank you for articulating this and for this post :)
I have so much to say about this post... first of all... the illustrations are *incredible*, and how you pulled them out of the main hero illustration was genius!
The whole time, I was thinking - "which orange am i?" and then I kept going back and forth until I decided I was all of them. 🤣 That made it so much fun for me to read.
But honestly, reading a post like this coming from someone like you (who yes, has some very real credentials) is just so refreshing... relatable.. and overall comforting. You're right, we are all going through AI experiences that are unique to us.... and at the same time, I think that's why so many of us have imposter syndrome! Always wondering if there's a more "technical" way we should be doing things.
But thank you for reassuring us. The message in here definitely makes less ashamed that i'm not the most tech-savvy. And shifts the mindset from "i'm so far behind" to wondering what i can do next :)
Thank you for such a well though-out, beautifully crafted post Alyssa. I genuinely enjoyed it.
Thank you thank you so much for this beautiful comment, Natalie. I had so many feelings (and writer’s block!) trying to get this post out. But what kept me going was knowing that my experience isn’t just me, and I believe so much in you and me and everyone who commented on this post and everyone who feels the same way outside this post, that we want AI to be and do something different for us and society than what we have today, and it just feels possible in ways we’re still figuring out together.
What can we do next??
Alyssa, I love your article, but I mostly wanted to comment on your AMAZING art! It is so cute and whimsical and I LOVE IT!! It must be so fun to create (and animate?). Love seeing the different ways creative people create besides just words on a page :)
Caitlin, this means so much to me coming from an art expert like yourself! I love creating these illustrations and this one in particular. I haven’t done much animation but Natalie Nicholson inspired me with hers so I tested it for this one. 😁 It’s simple but I love it! And I agree with you. There is just a different part of the soul that opens up with art beyond words.
aww thank you for your kind words! I am in no way an art expert lol but thank you! I do come from an artistic family (though I didn't inherit any traditional art skills - my grandpa was a watercolour painter and my aunt was a painter who worked mainly in acrylics - i have quite a few of my grandpas paintings in my house - and a couple of my aunts as well...! :) i did love to draw when I was younger though so I guess I do have a tiny bit of an artistic bone in my body 😄
I relate to so much of this - the imposter syndrome, the 'what, you can just talk to AI' realisation. It so important to 'de-tech' the conversation around AI. If you have good communication skills, if you can give a creative brief to a colleague - you can use AI.
💯💯And I appreciate so much your hot takes on gendered dynamics around AI. We’re all contributing to this conversation in our own way, and I love to see it.
I love how you’re so encouraging about AI for women. It really is here to stay and will rewrite (it’s already rewriting) everything. 🩷🦩
Yessss! Let’s do it!
Also, the oranges are so cool! I noticed you started using them consistently in your visuals! 🩷🦩
I literally posted two days ago that this space makes me want to become a developer because it looks so much easier to use AI with a technical background. I'm slowly learning that's not necessarily true...
What you describe as the new technical skills look very much like soft/human core skills...and at the age of "everything AI" i think it's beautiful to see that it's a time for our human skills to shine. That said, while AI breaks down a lot of barriers, I'm still wondering about its inclusivity on many levels starting with the most basic one: access. Many tools are free but limited and staying ahead will likely still depend on having the financial means to stack and combine different tools...
Loved reading this! Also, love your hand-drawn illustrations! Procreate?
I just saw that note! I was excited to see it. I like the idea of doing and being both and that the idea of what a “developer” is will shift. I also think there’s power in the identities we claim. So if you want to call yourself as a developer as you start to actually develop (emphasis) products with AI, I say do it. That’s part of how these ideas and roles start to shift.
I love this post and it's exactly why I created M(AI)VENS! As a "non-techy" woman myself, I hope to encourage more like me to jump into AI. We're wired perfectly for this revolution! 💃
That’s perfect! I want to see AI open up opportunities for women and other underrepresented groups take advantage of these tools used to gain power and status but were previously inaccessible. It’s so exciting to see you doing it!
Love the reframe on what technical even means now. The shift from precision/logic/code to articulation/interpretation/iteration is spot-on, and I've noticed the same dynamic where what used ot feel like a skills gap is actually more about being comfortable with ambiguity. The custom GPT hallucination hunting you described captures that perfectly, its not about engineering prowess, its about catching when the AI drifts and knowing how to redirect it back.
💯💯The biggest shift I had to make was going from “AI should just work” (like code more consistently does) to “the work is in the conversation.” And it suits my style more and for many that don’t come from technical backgrounds. I want to see us break stuff and make it better. 😈
My enthusiasm for tech has been treated with a pat on the head by so many my whole life. Thank goodness for spaces and tools that have come along to help me be vocal in a way that they cant stop me. And booo to all of those that say these things for leading us to think that we are not enough because we are not exactly like them. Love this post. Resonates deeply.
Your first sentence hits me in the chest. And I’m so glad to hear you had support. I feel the same way in my journey. Thank you for your comment. It’s the small interactions like these that contribute in their own way to larger change.
Great post, Alyssa. Very encouraging!
Thank you, Anastasia!
Love this and your journey, Alyssa. I was actually told I was “too technical” in my role as a way to dampen my ambitions, so your piece really hit that no‑win feeling from the other side of the spectrum. It was so energizing to see how you frame relational skills as the real technical edge in AI, non‑“tech” folks are absolutely stepping into power‑user roles, and your language gives them both a map and permission to claim that expertise. Thank you for showing so clearly that the leverage is in how we articulate, interpret, and iterate with these systems, not in memorizing one more stack, and I’m excited to dive into more of your work.
The “too technical” comment infuriates me, yet again that double standard. It really makes me want to break things. 😆 One of the points that emerged for me as I wrote this was the idea that “non-technical” folks, once they’re empowered, aren’t going to put with BS technical window dressing. They’re going to just shoot right past it and find ways to use AI in ways “technical” folks couldn’t imagine. I don’t yet know exactly how that will pan out, but at least it feels possible.
Thanks for this great piece, Alyssa, and for reminding everyone that they definitely do belong in the world of AI, no matter what the patriarchy might say otherwise. I love the idea of using AI; it is basically just talking to AI, and I couldn't agree more, especially since I've started using Wispr Flow. Thanks again for the brilliant piece.
Thank you, Sam! I am inspired every day by your posts, how you lift people up, and the collaborations you create. Your comment means a lot to me.
The shift from precisoin and logic to noticing interpretation gaps is spot on. I ran into this whe building custom GPTs, kept thinking I needed to master some technical layer, but the real breakthroughs came from treating it like I'd treat explaining something to a colleague. That reframing alone unlocked way more than any prompt engineering tutorial.
💯💯 That’s really what spurred me to write this. Because over and over again I find myself saying, “That’s it?” Not toward the output, because what we can produce now with AI is incredible. But because to get there, it’s so much easier than the predominant narrative makes it seem.
What a post!! The "two worlds of AI" section is exactly what I've been experiencing but couldn't name.
When people talk about "prompt engineering" I'm like... I'm just telling it what I want? And when they say "provide context" I'm thinking, yeah, that's just... how conversations work? It's weird how much engineering language gets wrapped around what is essentially "be clear about what you mean."
Thank you for articulating this and for this post :)