I was chatting with ChatGPT recently about the definitions and scope of AI. For the record, as a tech writer of many years, I do have a pretty solid grasp on AI – even if I can’t build such a system myself. But I’ve been grappling with this a lot in the last few weeks, checking and rechecking assumptions, wondering how to make my explanations simpler, and what analogy will land the best.

You see, because of my profile as a columnist, I am occasionally asked to speak on the topic – to live audiences, on radio broadcasts – and, depending, on the likely understanding or familiarity of that audience, I tend to start my talks by assuring listeners that they can, in fact, grasp this stuff. As professionals in a field, and as journalists covering that field, I think one of the biggest disservices we can do is tell people something is beyond them and to just leave it to us.