As women—especially as wives, mothers, and career professionals—we live in a constant state of hyper-decisiveness. What’s for dinner? Did I pay that bill? How should I word this text to my in-laws? My guest, the brilliant AI expert Whitney Barkley of Learn with Whitney, broke down a mind-blowing stat: We make 35,000 decisions every single day. No wonder we’re all so exhausted!
For years, this relentless mental load has been the unwritten contract of womanhood. But what if the next step in our self-care journey isn’t a long bath, but a little bit of Artificial Intelligence?
AI: The Ultimate Nervous System Regulator
Whitney describes her personal use of AI as a “regulator of my nervous system”. She explains that as a busy entrepreneur and leader, she realized she gets overwhelmed when too many decisions pile up. Instead of “crashing out” when facing conflict, she now turns to ChatGPT as a tool for a moment of reflection.
Think of AI as a Thought Partner, Not a Guru.
Whether it’s tackling a tough conversation with a friend or drafting a high-stakes business proposal, AI serves as a mirror. It helps you “check your words” and see how your communication might be perceived, instantly removing the anxiety and overthinking that would typically steal days of your time.
The Great Equalizer: Why Black Women Need to Tap In
Whitney started her AI journey because she had more business than she could handle as a one-woman show. She quickly realized its potential extends far beyond marketing copy. While working as a director of a business incubator, she noticed many Black-owned businesses were being “left behind” due to a lack of capacity and technology.
Her conclusion? AI can be a “great equalizer”. We don’t have to hire a 24/7 assistant to scale; we can use tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to help us reduce our bills, plan meals, and even strategize our next career move.
The “Cherry on Top” Framework
Here’s the key takeaway: AI is a powerful tool, but it’s not a replacement for you. As Whitney firmly stated, you have to get to know yourself before you touch the tools. Otherwise, the AI starts leading you. Don’t let the temptation of convenience lead to an “over-reliance”. Your unique human touch is still required to filter the ideas, draw the line on execution, and ensure the tool is just the “cherry on top, versus it being the whole recipe”. The future workforce will be defined by people who know how to use these tools—not be used by them.