This revised edition of the article will go deeper in the conversation. The article will make a case for finding a healthy balance between human intelligence and artificial intelligence in workplace productivity.
Before you continue reading, let me quickly request that you allot five – seven minutes to read this piece. Trust me, it’s worth your reading time.
As an active player in the knowledge industry, I am always passionate about driving its growth.
I wrote the first edition of this piece in the month of June, 2026. The article generated interesting conversations. An academic doctor and consultant asked me to share the article with him last week – to use as a reference material for his presentation, and I did.
Today is 9th July, 2026, and I am sharing a revised edition of the article – to discuss important aspects we should watch as we explore the advancement in artificial intelligence.
I request that you read this piece, make your contributions and share it – so that we expand knowledge.
Before I continue my write-up, let me first of all appreciate the advancement in technology that launched Artificial Intelligence. Humans can now do a lot with AI.
Having acknowledged the progress made in the tech world, let me now ask these questions that are bothering me as a creative mind and the questions are:
1. How do we ensure that we maintain originality while exploring Artificial Intelligence?
2. How do we find a healthy balance between Human Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence?
3. Is Artificial Intelligence making people Intellectually Lazy and uncreative?
While you ponder on the questions and answers, let me tell you a true story that inspired me to write this piece. Our company recently recruited a General Manager for a multi-national and that role required high level hands-on experience and of course academic qualifications – that fit the senior management position. Through our painstaking process, we selected professionals that attended the last stage of the interview. The Managing Director of the company and Consultants were on the interview panel that selected the best candidate – from the professionals we invited.
The task for the last stage of the interview was to create a case scenario. Candidates were to proffer solutions for the case. The case scenario was taxing and fit their levels of experience.
Note once more that the people we invited were among the best in the industry. They are highly experienced and met all our requirements. But where it got interesting was the case scenario. Did you know that all the candidates used Ai to answer 100% of the case scenario presented in PowerPoint presentation format! How did we know? Of course we found out using the right techniques.
Candidates made their PowerPoint presentations and later went in for the second session of the final interview. We got what we wanted by relying more on the second phase of the final interview which carried more scores.
I don’t have a problem with professionals using an aid (ai), my worry is using Artificial Intelligence to solve 100% of the case scenario and removing the human element! This is not the way to go. Where is originality?
My 17-year-old son Chizaram Giovanni Emetuche is an emerging tech prodigy. He supports us in graphic designs, video post editing and other tech related tasks. Chizaram is a smart chap who brings value. My conversation with him inspired this revised edition of the article.
As I write this, I am preparing my presentation for training on The Art of Selling. The event is for a Business School Group of Professionals and Entrepreneurship.
Depending on the nature of the job, preparing one presentation takes four to five focused hours in the first draft. I usually come back to it two or three times to make it better – before using it.
As an accredited training consultant who has the certification of Nigerian Council for Management Development, we were taught at the training center that our goal is to ensure that learning takes place each time we have training jobs. We were also taught that people learn differently. I am always guided by this: ensure that learning takes place.
As a creative mind, I pour myself out in preparing my presentations – because I like to be original. I don’t like online copy and paste!
So, Chizaram came to my study two days ago and saw me preparing the PowerPoint presentation slides. Read my conversation with him:
Chizaram: Daddy, I have noticed that you don’t use AI for your presentations, it’s actually smart and saves time.
Me: Yes, I know but I don’t like generic presentations. I like preparing my slides myself. It taxes my brain and helps me to own the presentation.
Chizaram: That’s good. Let me try out AI and see what it has for your topic.
Me: Ok. You can do it for curiosity’s sake, but I know what you will get.
Chizaram: What’s the training topic? Who is your audience? What are the objectives of the training?
Me: I gave him the answers. Boom! Within ten minutes or so, we saw varieties of presentations on The Art of Selling!
Chizaram: I now know better why you don’t use AI for your presentations.
Me: Good!
I learn a lot from my boy. After my conversation with him, he encouraged me to write an article on the subject.
From experience, I know that taking 100% ownership of a presentation you didn’t prepare yourself is usually a tall order. This is why I don’t ask AI to write for me, or use it to prepare my training presentations, just as explained above.
Some people may see my approach as old school but my reason is simple; I want to own the work 100%. I want to ensure originality in my work. I want to pour out experience and know-how in the work. I want to tell real life stories when I teach. There are things I don’t delegate. I don’t delegate my writings. I don’t delegate the preparation of my training slides. I do them myself and this pattern gets the right results. As an author, I fully understand the meaning of originality and plagiarism. I won’t be comfortable to use training slides prepared by a software.
Note this: the more original you are, the more exceptional you become.
I can use AI for research purposes; to research for more insights, but not to ask it to do my work. I usually rely on the four sources of knowledge I will share as you read on.
An ideal approach to this conversation is to find a balance between human intelligence and artificial Intelligence.
Experts define Human Intelligence as the intellectual capacity to learn from experience, adapt to new situations, and understand abstract concepts. Psychologists explain that it involves using reason, logic, and emotion to solve problems. It encompasses perception, memory, creativity and self- awareness. Cognitive theory of learning explains how the brain processes, organizes, and retrieves information.
Experts argue that when the brain is not adequately used or mentally stimulated, neural pathways weaken, causing brain tissue to become less efficient.
Recent study by Harvard, (March 2026,) and MIT (June 2025,) posit that over-relying on AI can lead to “cognitive atrophy” and a phenomenon known as brain fry ( severe mental fatigue) and automation bias where humans unquestioningly accept AI outputs, even when incorrect. The study further states that when you outsource thinking, your brain reduces neural activity, hindering memory retention, critical thinking, and independent problem- solving.
I am a professional and researcher who needs a lot of information. As explained, I go the extra mile to ensure I remain original and creative in my works.
The human brain can do a lot if we are willing to work with it. The truth is that a lot of people are just mentally lazy! As we say in our setting, “they don’t want stress!” This is the problem and this is why some people are finding it difficult to find a healthy balance between Human and Artificial Intelligence.
Human and Artificial Intelligence can work together effectively if we go the extra mile to find a healthy balance.
It is dangerous to outsource thinking. I totally agree with Harvard and MIT.
In my latest book, How To Write and Publish Books, I listed four sources of knowledge for the writer. These sources of knowledge can work in other endeavours too, not just in the art and act of writing. Any professional who explores the sources of knowledge will be reasonably original in his/her work. The professional won’t have to rely 100% on artificial intelligence to develop his or her work. The sources of knowledge will help you to find a healthy balance between human and artificial Intelligence.
I developed the sources of knowledge after writing professionally and consistently for 14 years.
I have also argued that all knowledge comes from a source. No knowledge stands without a source. This is why I believe that professionals should take time to know and deploy the right knowledge for what they want to achieve.
The sources of knowledge are:
1. *Inspiration*: I rate inspiration as the highest source of knowledge because it comes from above; it comes from a source greater than the person writing. You must be alert to “catch” the inspiration, otherwise you lose it! A writer who uses inspiration is always original because the source is inexplainable and can’t be questioned!
2. *Continuous Learning and Personal Development*: This is when you unlearn, relearn, and continue to learn. This type of learning never ends. You learn more when you read books, learn from a mentor or coach, attend training programmes, and so on. The writer uses the knowledge from this source in his writing.
3. *Experience:* You have heard the saying: Experience is the best teacher. Experience is what you know and what you do. Experience is doing what you know and knowing what you do. Let me explain what I mean: people call me, The Selling Champion, which means that I am a Champion in the art of selling. I have paid my dues in the industry. I have 29 years of hands-on experience in sales, marketing, and business strategy. I started my career as a salesman and later rose to the position of National Sales Manager before launching our business. I have been in Hospitality, Agro-Allied, Oil & Gas, FMCG, and Pharmaceutical Industries, before we started our business. I have a wealth of experience in these areas I mentioned and I use the experience when I am writing books, articles, or training professionals.
4. *Academic Knowledge:* This is the knowledge you acquire from the classroom. This is where research comes in. Academic knowledge helps in writing. Knowledge is power. What you learn from the four walls of an institution of higher learning is imperative in your writing world. You deploy them when necessary. Academic Knowledge has helped me a lot in my career.
I am not saying that the use of Artificial Intelligence is wrong. My advocacy is for professionals to find a healthy balance between Human and Artificial Intelligence, the two can work effectively together.
You can take a different position and let’s have a constructive conversation on the topic.
This topic is important because of several reasons on originality, creativity, and ingenuity.
I use AI for research and insight, but I am intentional on when to use it and when not to touch it.
Note once more that the sources of knowledge I shared here can be utilized in other life endeavours, not only in the art of writing. This also means that professionals should go the extra mile to be original – by challenging their intellectual abilities.
Experience has taught me that shortcuts are the longest route.
Let me ask one more time: is Artificial Intelligence making professionals Intellectually Lazy? I await your contributions. Let’s contribute to learning.
Move from good to better, then to best.
George O. Emetuche,CES
The Selling Champion.