What will happen when AI officially becomes your colleague?

A quiet but irreversible shift is taking place in the way we work. Each day, I find myself using AI more. I communicate less and have fewer doubts, because over time, AI is increasingly providing 'sufficiently correct' answers in most cases.

 

My role is gradually shifting from content creation to content validation . I'm also starting to get used to letting AI handle tasks that I previously thought could only be done by my expertise.

When AI starts doing the things you used to love

I used to joke that I would never use ChatGPT to plan a trip. That's my 'playground'. I prefer opening dozens of tabs, comparing areas, reading reviews, and building the perfect itinerary myself.

However, a week ago, I tried asking ChatGPT about things to know when visiting a new beach area for the first time. In just a few seconds, I had a complete list of things to do, without opening any additional tabs.

That made me stop and think. If AI can handle something I genuinely love and am proud of, what does that mean for the rest of my work?

Not long ago, my work as a data analytics consultant was quite lengthy and multi-step. I started by defining the business problem, then finding suitable data sources. Next, I wrote code from scratch to clean the data, analyze, handle errors, debug, and test for special cases. After completing the technical part, I would build reports and transform the technical results into a business story. Much of my value lay in executing this entire process. Over time, I developed my unique strength in the ability to transform data into business insights and vice versa.

 

These days, AI is often the 'first in line' to address my problems. Initially, I only experimented with prompts, describing the business context, data structures, and desired goals. But after noticing a significant increase in productivity, I started relying on AI more heavily.

AI can now write code to process data, suggest model improvements, uncover new insights, create documentation, and even write summaries for leadership. In this way, AI has become the 'first analyst' in my workflow.

This change didn't happen overnight. It unfolded gradually over months. Now, when I have a problem to solve, my first instinct is to turn to AI, even before I've thought it through myself. This both excites and unnerves me.

Because this change is not linear, but explosive. AI is not just improving one skill, but is advancing simultaneously in multiple areas such as programming, analytics, and writing.

Where will human competitive advantage lie?

AI is gradually becoming a common foundation for jobs involving critical thinking. I don't know if AI can replicate human empathy, or whether relationships built over years can be automated. But clearly, those who adapt best will be those who approach AI with curiosity rather than avoidance.

Previously, I thought that knowing SQL, building models, and processing data were competitive advantages. But now, these skills are increasingly being automated by AI. This has made me realize that the competitive advantage is shifting.

 

Instead of technical skills, the new advantage seems to lie in how you think before using the tool. This is something that AI cannot yet completely replace.

To adapt to this shift, I began using AI directly in my workflow, not just for information retrieval but for the entire analysis cycle. I also learned how to backtest results, understanding when to trust AI and when to be cautious. Simultaneously, I realized that the role of the analyst is changing, from query writer to questioner, data verifier, and decision supporter.

Another crucial factor is staying focused on the business problem. The better you understand the real-world context, the harder you are to replace. AI can process data, but understanding business objectives remains a human advantage.

AI is no longer just a support tool. In many cases, AI is becoming the starting point of workflows. While humans may no longer be the 'first analyst,' we are still the ones asking the right questions, understanding the answers, and deciding the next step.

And that role is more important now than ever.