When we think of artificial intelligence, it’s often framed as a tool or a digital assistant designed to complete tasks on command. But what if we shifted that perspective? In my work as a software designer, I’ve come to view AI not as an assistant but as a colleague — one I can brainstorm with, collaborate alongside, and trust to refine my ideas. This perspective has completely transformed how I integrate AI into my workflow, boosting productivity, creativity, and efficiency.
Let me walk you through my approach to working with AI, the value it brings, and my vision for its future.
AI as a Colleague, Not an Assistant
For me, AI isn’t a subordinate to whom I assign tasks. Instead, I treat it like a colleague. It’s a partner in my creative and professional processes. Unlike a human colleague, though, AI comes with a unique advantage: there’s no judgment. I can ask what might feel like “stupid” questions or throw unorganized thoughts its way without fear. It offers a safe space to explore, refine, and rethink ideas without hesitation.
What sets AI apart is its ability to process my messy brain dumps and help me organize them into something coherent. It’s like having a colleague who never gets tired of unpacking your half-formed ideas and offering clarity. This process isn’t about delegation but about AI collaboration. Through dialogue, AI becomes a sounding board, a second pair of eyes, and a constant source of constructive feedback.
How I Use AI Today
My relationship with AI centers on collaboration, and here’s how it plays a vital role in my day-to-day work:
Conversational Brain Dumps and Refining Ideas
When I have an idea that’s 90% there, I turn to AI to help me make sense of it. I offload my thoughts and collaborate with it to structure, expand, and polish those ideas.
Meeting Analysis and Organization
AI helps me analyze meeting notes, extract key points, and build actionable summaries. It ensures I don’t miss critical insights while organizing the chaos into clear next steps.
Problem-Solving and Research
Working in custom software design often means diving into new industries and unfamiliar business models. AI has become my go-to colleague for rapidly understanding these contexts, generating creative solutions, and asking questions I might not have thought to ask.
Feedback on Designs
Whether I’m working on mockups or brainstorming ways to improve user interfaces, AI helps me think critically about design decisions. It doesn’t replace peer reviews but acts as an additional collaborator to challenge assumptions and suggest alternatives.
What I Don’t Use AI for (Yet)
While I rely heavily on AI for ideation and analysis, there are areas where I haven’t fully embraced it—visual design and wireframing, for instance. Those tasks are still deeply rooted in my own creative process, and for now, I prefer to keep them manual.
But that doesn’t mean I’m not dreaming about the possibilities.
The Future of AI Collaboration
Looking ahead, I see enormous potential for AI to become even more interactive, particularly in virtual and mixed reality settings. Imagine this:
- During a virtual meeting, I could ask an AI colleague to bring up examples of specific design styles, overlaying them in real-time for discussion.
- In a mixed-reality workspace, the AI could act as a scribe, capturing key ideas and visually representing them—writing sticky notes and placing them on a virtual wall as we brainstorm.
- It could even manipulate a virtual scene on command, allowing for more dynamic and immersive design collaboration.
These possibilities excite me because they push the boundaries of what collaboration can look like in a digital world. It’s no longer just about exchanging ideas on a screen — it’s about creating shared experiences that feel tangible and immediate.
The Power of AI Collaboration, Not Delegation
The key takeaway here is this: AI isn’t just a tool for task delegation. When you treat it as a collaborator — one that can challenge your thinking, refine your ideas, and help you explore new possibilities — it becomes so much more powerful.
This mindset shift has been transformative for my work in software design, allowing me to approach problems with a mix of creativity and confidence. And while there’s still room for growth (both in AI’s capabilities and my integration of it), the foundation is already strong.
Conclusion
AI has the potential to be more than just an assistant. It can be a trusted colleague, a collaborator, and a partner in creativity. By embracing this perspective, we can unlock new ways of working, thinking, and creating.
This is just the beginning of my journey with AI, and I can’t wait to explore what’s next. Whether it’s refining ideas today or reimagining collaboration in mixed reality tomorrow, the possibilities are endless.
How do you think of AI? Could it be more than just a tool in your workflow? I’d love to hear your thoughts.