As 2025 comes to a close, conversations about AI are everywhere—new tools, new capabilities, new predictions about what comes next. In the midst of all that noise, it’s worth grounding ourselves in something simple and true: AI is powerful because of the humans who design it, guide it, and decide how it’s used.

Despite how advanced it may appear, AI is still a tool—and it will remain one for some time. It doesn’t set direction, values, or purpose on its own. It doesn’t understand your customers, your culture, or your goals without human input. You and your organization provide the context, judgment, and intent that make AI useful. We built it, we shape it, and we’re responsible for how it shows up in our work.

There’s also an important reality to acknowledge. No one truly knows where AI will lead us in the long term. But at the same time, there’s little doubt that AI is here to stay. The technology is already in motion, and someone—somewhere—will continue to advance it. The question is no longer if AI will be part of our future, but how you and your organization will engage with it.

How will you adapt to AI, grow alongside it, and learn from it? How will you use it to support better thinking, better decisions, and better outcomes? And how might AI help you become more human—more creative, more focused, and more intentional—rather than less?

The most effective uses of AI I’ve seen don’t replace people. It amplifies human judgment and creativity. AI can help generate ideas, surface insights, and remove repetitive friction, giving you and your team more space to do the work that actually matters: building relationships, solving nuanced problems, and imagining new possibilities.

Your culture plays a defining role in this. The same AI tools can feel empowering in one organization and overwhelming in another. Teams that encourage curiosity, learning, and thoughtful experimentation tend to unlock value quickly. Teams that approach AI with fear or unrealistic expectations often stall—not because the technology failed, but because the human systems around it weren’t ready.

AI rewards organizations that are willing to learn in public, iterate, and improve over time. When learning is embraced, AI becomes a creative partner. When it’s rushed or constrained, AI becomes another source of pressure.

As you look ahead to 2026—whether you’re thinking personally, professionally, or organizationally—the real opportunity isn’t just adopting AI. It’s using AI to elevate what makes you uniquely human. Judgment. Creativity. Empathy. Vision.

AI will continue to evolve. But how it shapes your future will depend far less on the tools you choose and far more on how you and your organization choose to engage with them. Viewed through a hopeful lens, this moment represents not a loss of humanity—but a powerful chance to strengthen it.

Your Tech Pal,

—Joshua

Disclaimer: I use AI to help write emails like these. I review & edit all AI-assisted work I publish.