"I'm going to lose my job" Those were Marleen's first words, an administrative assistant at a primary school, when I talked to her about AI. It's a response I've come to know well. When we discuss artificial intelligence, fear often comes first. And let's be fair: that fear is very understandable.
What change really looks like
Marleen's work is essential for the school. Daily, she juggles newsletters, new student registrations, financial tasks, and much more. She's the hub in the communication web between school and parents. And those parents? They come from all directions: Poland, Romania, India, Bulgaria... No small challenge.
The output that Marleen develops in Dutch is translated into English via Google Translate and offered to non-Dutch speaking parents. Marleen was proud of her translation work, but she wasn't quite sure if everything was translated correctly and if the sentence structure was proper. An understandable concern when you want your message to come across clearly to all parents.
From fear to "Ah, so that's how it could work!"
But then something beautiful happened. We started talking about how AI wouldn't replace her work but would enrich it. "Imagine," I said, "having a team of AI translators at your disposal. Not Google Translate, but advanced AI that translates like a natural speaker. And not just to English, but to every language you need."
Her amazement was clear when she asked, "Would that be possible?"
"And what if you no longer need to collect all the stories for your newsletter yourself? What if AI could gather all input from teachers, management, and parents and summarize it, so you only need to decide what goes in?"
"That would save so much time," she murmured, almost to herself.
The real value of human and machine
And that's exactly the point": AI isn't coming to take our jobs but to make our work more valuable. Because what happens when Marleen can automate all those time-consuming, repetitive tasks? She finally gets space for what really matters in her work: personal contact with parents. Instead of spending hours on translations and administration, she can focus on the quality of communication. From simply carrying out tasks, she becomes a strategic player who thinks about how the school can become even more accessible to all cultures that come together there. With the time freed up, space emerges for new initiatives that help Marleen and the school move forward. That's the real revolution: not replacing human work, but enriching it.
From resistance to progress
By the end of our conversation, Marleen's attitude had completely changed. "Actually," she said, "it would be wonderful if we could reach parents in their own language. That feels much more respectful."
And that's exactly what it's all about. AI enables us to make our work not just more efficient, but more meaningful. It gives us the tools to make a real difference.
Embracing the future
Yes, the fear of AI is real – but letting that fear hold us back is what will really hurt us. The reality is that AI tools are becoming increasingly accessible. The question isn't if they will influence our work, but when. And how will we then use AI to make our work better?
Marleen's story shows that the first step is often the hardest. But once we break through that initial resistance, a world of possibilities opens up. This isn't about humans competing with machines, but about the power of human and machine together.
Because ultimately, it's not about keeping your job, but about growing your role. Not about holding onto the old, but about embracing new possibilities that make your work richer and more meaningful.
And Marleen? She's now thinking about other processes she can improve. Because she's discovered that AI isn't a threat, but an ally in making her work even more enjoyable. From a time-consuming administrative puzzle to a role where she can make a real difference for all families at school, regardless of which language they speak.
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