Let’s be real, not everyone’s buzzing about AI. It’s spoken about...to death.
Some of us are excited, some unsure, some just trying to keep up. And that’s completely fine.
You don’t need to be obsessed with it. You don’t need to learn 20 tools overnight or write thought pieces about it.
But you need to know the way people work is changing fast. And some folks are already finding clever ways to use AI to work faster, communicate better, and stand out. They're not smarter or more experienced, they just use the tools differently.
The gap is happening
There are people out there probably applying to the same jobs as you who use AI to write cleaner emails, brainstorm faster, automate workflows, summarise research, draft code, and prep for interviews. Not because they’re more qualified. Just because they’re smart about how they work.
They’re not “AI experts”. They’re just efficient.
They’re getting through more work in less time. They’re coming across more polished. They’re giving themselves extra reps, extra feedback, and extra firepower. And to a hiring manager, that edge adds up especially when all they’ve got is 7 seconds on your CV before making a decision.
You're allowed to be skeptical, not naive
Look at the shift that's already happening around you.
Every week, more teams are looking specifically for people who know how to use tools like ChatGPT, Notion AI, Claude, Copilot not as shortcuts, but as actual extensions of how they think and work.
At Calyptus, we’ve seen this shift first-hand. Employers are actively asking us to find candidates who are AI-literate. That doesn't mean prompt engineers. It means product managers who use AI to map roadmaps. Designers who use AI to test copy. Sales, marketing, ops folks who automate repetitive stuff so they can focus on strategic moves.
It means people who know how to use new tools to go faster and still think for themselves.
This is your edge to take
You don’t have to become an AI power user overnight. You just have to be honest with yourself: are you using every advantage available to you, or are you pretending this wave will pass?
Because it won’t.
And whether you like it or not, the people you’re up against are sharpening their tools. They’re not “cheating.” They’re evolving.
So no. You don’t have to love AI.
But if you want to compete with the ones who are using it well, you’d better not sleep on it.
