Why Tech Writers Don’t “Have Time for AI” — and Why That’s the Whole Problem

AI doesn’t fail because tech writers resist it — it fails because we’re asked to adopt it on top of everything else, with nothing taken away

If you’re a technical writer who has been told to “start using AI,” there’s a good chance this instruction arrived the same way most bad ideas do: casually, optimistically, and with absolutely no adjustment to your workload.

You were already juggling three releases, a backlog of outdated content, an SME who responds exclusively in emojis, and a publishing system held together by hope and duct tape. Now you’re also supposed to “use AI” — presumably in the five spare minutes between standup and your next fire drill.

When AI fails to deliver miracles under these conditions, leadership often concludes that AI is overrated. This is unfair to you, and frankly, unfair to the robot.

AI Isn’t a Magic Button — It’s a Process Multiplier

AI does not save time by default. It reallocates time.