Professionals view AI as a junior intern rather than an authority. It handles basic tasks like summarizing emails or generating drafts but requires human oversight. In interviews with 1,250 workers across various fields, many described using AI to kickstart projects, overcoming barriers like writer’s block. For instance, teachers and small business owners use AI for brainstorming, knowing they will adapt the AI's output significantly. Authenticity remains essential; professionals want to maintain their unique voice, especially in client communications. In the creative sector, the narrative that AI threatens jobs doesn’t hold up. Creatives are leveraging AI to manage administrative tasks, allowing them to focus more on their craft. Photographers, musicians, and illustrators use AI for invoicing, scheduling, and other bureaucratic tasks. However, they draw a clear line when it comes to the creative process, preferring to keep the final artistic decisions in human hands. Concerns about AI’s impact on quality are prevalent, with fears that a surge of low-effort, AI-generated content could drown out genuine creativity. For scientists, the stakes are higher. AI can speed up tasks like coding and literature reviews, but the time spent verifying AI outputs often negates these gains. The risk of AI hallucinations—erroneous or misleading information—poses a serious challenge in fields where accuracy is critical. Overall, while AI is reshaping workflows, it is not replacing humans. Instead, workers are adapting their roles, focusing more on editing and refining AI outputs rather than solely generating content.