Redefined by Cynthia

Every week, a new headline declares how artificial intelligence is transforming the world of work. Machines are learning faster, automating more, and mastering tasks once thought to be the domain of humans. But beneath the noise of innovation lies a deeper truth: the more advanced AI becomes, the more valuable our uniquely human skills become. A recent Microsoft study found that interpreters and translators top the list of roles most exposed to AI, with nearly all of their work overlapping with Copilot’s capabilities. The research analyzed 200,000 real user interactions and found that many desk-based jobs share a similar risk. Tasks like writing, organizing data, or scheduling can now be partially replicated by machines. This raises an important question: if AI can do so much of what we used to call “work,” what remains distinctly human? The Strength of What AI Still Can’t Do AI is fast, precise, and tireless. But it still lacks emotional understanding, moral awareness, and context. It...

Welcome back to Tech Tuesday, where we explore the intersection of technology, work, and humanity — how innovation shapes our careers, challenges our systems, and tests our ability to adapt. Each week is a reminder that staying curious isn’t optional; it’s essential. We’re now witnessing the next wave of automation, and this time it’s not factory floors being transformed but offices. Economists warn that AI’s disruption of white-collar work has only just begun, with professional, financial, and creative roles especially in flux. In just the past few weeks, several major employers, including Amazon, Palantir, Salesforce, and fintech firm Klarna, have confirmed layoffs tied directly to AI adoption. These aren’t isolated adjustments; they signal a broader restructuring of what white-collar work will look like in the years ahead. Behind those headlines are people, talented, experienced professionals, suddenly facing uncertainty through no fault of their own. For many, the shift isn’t just...

Early praise for  Redefined  keeps rolling in, and each note humbles me. These words remind me why I wrote this book in the first place. To help people feel seen, supported, and empowered when life takes an unexpected turn. Cynthia Gutierrez-White avoids a Pollyannish approach to career uncertainty by keeping it real in this proactive guide to redefining one’s life goals. People at any stage of their careers, or in the midst of job loss, will gain useful insights from her thoughtful research and advice.   —  J. Suzanne Horsley, PhD , Associate Professor, Advertising & Public Relations, College of Communication & Information Sciences, The University of Alabama, Co-authored  The Media Relations Training Handbook  and  On Deadline: Managing Media Relations, 6 th  ed.   This book reminded me that we’re often masters at telling stories for others, yet hesitant to craft our own. By employing many of the same skills learned at work to h...

Welcome, friends, to Tech Tuesday , a new weekly series exploring how technology and AI are redefining not only the way we work, but also why we work. Each week, I’ll dig into the intersection of AI in the workplace, automation and jobs, and human-centered leadership. We’ll unpack the good, the bad, and the complex ways technology is transforming our professional lives. Because AI isn’t just revolutionizing productivity: it’s rewriting the playbook for what it means to lead, adapt, and stay relevant in the future of work. When Efficiency Replaces Empathy This week’s headline made waves: Amazon is reportedly cutting nearly 30,000 corporate jobs, the largest layoff in company history, as it doubles down on AI and automation. At first glance, it’s another story about AI-driven layoffs, but beneath the headlines lies a deeper truth about the shifting balance between human capability and machine efficiency.  This isn’t just a corporate restructuring story. It’s a mirror reflecting ho...

This past weekend in Washington, D.C., something extraordinary happened. For the first time, I was introduced not as a communications strategist, a spokesperson, or a speaker, but as an author. And then came the moment that stopped me in my tracks.  Dr. Valery Maya,  the chapter president, introduced me to the approximately 200 attendees by saying that only 7% of authors in the U.S. are Latina. Seven percent. Hearing that number out loud hit me hard. It wasn’t just about me standing on that stage. It was about us. Every woman who has ever doubted whether her story mattered. Every daughter of immigrants who was taught to stay humble, who was told to keep her head down instead of taking the mic. My talk that night focused on resilience and adaptability, the same traits that have guided me through my current season of uncertainty and reinvention. As I listened to the speaker before me talk about imposter syndrome, I couldn’t help but laugh to myself. It felt ironic...

I've spent decades turning complexity into clarity. And lately, I've been watching a new narrative unfold: "AI will replace communicators," or even "If you're not using ChatGPT, you'll be obsolete."  I am here to respectfully push back. Not because I'm against AI; actually, I'm far from it. Because our biggest risk isn't being replaced by AI, but rather using AI instead of our brains .  Let's be honest, GPTs (generative pre-trained transformers) are incredible tools. They can speed up thinking, spark ideas, and help understand complex things. But they should be partners, not pilots. When we stop thinking for ourselves, we lose the very edge that makes our work worth doing.  Why GPTs Can Make You Smarter Used well, GPTs are incredible collaborators. A recent meta-analysis found that humans working with AI outperformed those working alone in creative tasks. Another study found that AI-assisted writers produced stories rated as more orig...