Steel yourself for AI winter (jk)

A chill runs through the UX writing world these days—AI looms large, a specter promising to snatch jobs with its cold claws. Tools churn out copy faster than a human can blink, and companies salivate at the efficiency. It’s a scary moment, no doubt. The machine’s coming, and it’s not here to mess around. But here’s the rub: if you’re dedicated, sharp, and a little crafty, AI doesn’t have to be the enemy—it can make you more dangerous.

The play now is to lean into what machines can’t touch: the messy, intuitive dance of understanding users, anticipating their quirks, and weaving words that land. AI can churn out options, test flows, or flag clunky phrasing—but it’s clueless on empathy, context, or that spark of delight users crave. If you’re smart, you’ll harness it to crank through the tedious stuff, leaving you room to sharpen your edge.

The heat’s on, sure. But dedication and smarminess turn fear into fuel. Master the tools, bend them to your will, and you’ll not only survive—you’ll emerge better, faster, and tougher to replace. AI’s not the endgame; it’s the accelerant. How you burn decides who wins.