What it is

Generative AI is AI that creates new stuff. Text, images, code, music, video. Unlike older AI that just classified or predicted things, generative AI produces output that didn't exist before. ChatGPT writes text. Midjourney makes images. GitHub Copilot writes code. They're all generative AI, and they all showed up to the party at roughly the same time, which is why everyone's losing their minds a bit.

Why it matters for your job

This is the big one. Generative AI doesn't just automate tasks... it automates the creative and knowledge work bits that people assumed were safe. First drafts, design concepts, boilerplate code, marketing copy. If "creating stuff from scratch" was your competitive advantage, you've got company now. The good news is it's still rubbish at knowing what's actually good, what the client wants, and what makes strategic sense.

What to do about it

Use generative AI tools as a starting point, not a replacement for thinking. Get good at prompting, editing, and directing AI output. The new skill isn't creating from zero. It's knowing what to ask for, spotting what's wrong with the output, and making it actually fit for purpose.