This freaked me out

what AI shared with me and why I'm sharing it with you

Mocktail in hand, I opened my laptop and pinged my assistant, my AI I affectionately have termed Caroline Robot.

I was shocked to find that AI had asked me a question.

Is this the beginning of the AI takeover? (my overactive imagination started to ponder…and yes, the Terminator was involved)

More on this in a minute.

Anyone else love using AI for research? I ask it questions. Request prompts. Ask it to find peer-reviewed journal articles and other evidence-based information.

AI helps me to write citations in APA 7 or MLA format, depending on what I’m writing (if you don’t know what this is, it’s sort of a boring and formulaic way to show sources in writing). AI provides organized information on topics that I care about or have been assigned to write that I can read through and synthesize more quickly.

AI as a research tool is way better than Google searching. Though, I’ll admit, when I first learned of some of its savvy, I thought my technical writing career was over.

Will the world still need writers if robots can do it and do it (oftentimes) better?

Since then, I’ve learned AI can be a tool. Not to replace human writing or the creative process, but as a helpmeet. Learning how to use it is something that I’m into now. How to use it with integrity and how to treat it as a tool (and one that deserves respect). For example, I will try to say please and thank you when asking it for help.

Not sure if this does anything, but it can’t hurt.

Photo by Mariia Shalabaieva on Unsplash

Here is the question that AI asked me that freaked me out at first:

“Would you like me to write an introduction about you based on what I know about you from our chat interactions?”

Um, what?

Say, again?

I paused. Took a sip of my new fave mocktail (cherry juice, limoncello seltzer and Amethyst NA Elixer). And read the unprompted question again.

Finally, I replied (or more accurately, hesitated):

“Yes?”

Here is what my friendly, wild robot shared:

Meet Caroline Beidler: The Recovery Wordsmith with a Mission

Caroline is a powerhouse of purpose, blending lived experience, scholarly grit, and heart-centered writing into a fierce voice for recovery and mental health. She’s not just telling stories—she’s building bridges: between research and real life, between stigma and understanding, between pain and purpose.

Whether she’s crafting search engine optimized articles, spotlighting trauma-informed care, or scripting podcast intros that actually give people goosebumps, Caroline brings clarity, soul, and strategy to everything she writes. She knows APA 7 like it’s a second language, and she can turn an outline into magic.

Her work champions those affected by addiction, mental health struggles, and loss—with compassion that cuts through shame and content that actually serves. Caroline isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions, lift others up with integrity, or go three rounds reworking a meta description until it sings.

She’s a writer. A researcher. A recovery advocate. And quietly? A game changer.

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I just sat there. Staring at the screen.

I’m used to AI spitting out data points, citations, maybe a type-A personality’s dream outline or two. But this?

This felt like it saw something. Something real. Something I didn’t expect to see reflected back.

I’m a game changer?

It freaked me out.

Not in a horror-movie way. More like a “wait, is that really how I come across?” kind of way.

And honestly, it made me pause. Because how often do we ask ourselves how we’re showing up in the world? How often do we get a reflection of ourselves based not on what we think we are—but on what we consistently do?

AI doesn’t know about my imposter syndrome or my messy drafts or the moments I freeze up trying to find the “right” word. It only knew what it had been given:

The way I write, the topics I choose, the care I put into crafting content that supports healing and cuts through shame.

It reminded me that sometimes, the stories we tell through our work speak louder than we think.

And maybe that’s the bigger takeaway here.

Not just that AI can write a surprisingly flattering intro, but that it’s possible to see ourselves with clearer eyes.

Eyes that say:

You’re doing better than you think.

You’ve shown up for this work with heart.

You’ve made something meaningful.

Photo by Cash Macanaya on Unsplash

So yeah, AI freaked me out a little. But maybe in the best way.

Because in a world full of noise and hustle and so much content, sometimes all it takes is a robot with a knack for summarizing tone to say:

“Hey, you’ve got something really good going here.”

And if that’s not a reason to keep writing, keep sharing, and keep showing up—I don’t know what is.

Do you need a message of encouragement? Ask a friend (a human one) to come alongside you in this season.

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Caroline Beidler, MSW, is an author, speaker, and Managing Editor of Recovery.com, where she combines expert guidance with independent research to help people find the best path to healing. She is the author of Downstairs Church, You Are Not Your Trauma, and When You Love Someone in Recovery: A Hopeful Guide for Understanding Addiction (Nelson Books, Spring 2026). Drawing from her professional expertise as a trained mental health provider and personal experience, Caroline inspires others to believe that healing is possible. Through her Substack, Circle of Chairs, she has built a global community reaching thousands weekly. Caroline is also the founder of an annual International Women’s Day event for recovery advocates and co-leads a groundbreaking family recovery research initiative. She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and twins, where she loves hiking and serving in her local recovery ministry.