Everyone’s Talking About AI… But Who’s Actually Using It?

You can’t scroll online these days without bumping into someone talking about AI. It’s everywhere — in headlines, webinars, and endless LinkedIn posts. But here’s the thing: in real life, it feels like it’s mostly the ‘techy’ crowd chatting about it, and when they do, it’s all acronyms and jargon. You’re left wondering, how does this actually help me as a small business owner or manager?

I’m Jacqui Offen, one of the Directors at J & J Systems UK Limited and I’ll be honest — I was sceptical at first too. AI sounded clever, but also a bit distant. Something for developers and research scientists, not for someone juggling a small business marketing plans, client meetings and compliance checklists.

But then I started using Copilot.

From Licence to Lifeline

At first, it was just there — an incidental licence on my desktop. I’d open it occasionally, mostly out of curiosity. But over the last few weeks, something shifted. I began learning how to talk to Copilot properly. I’d adjust my prompts, adding phrases like “as a compliance officer” or “interview me with X questions to…” and suddenly, it wasn’t just a tool — it was a team.

Now, Copilot is open on my desktop all day, every day. It’s my:

  • Compliance Assistant – helping me draft and review policy templates and documents.
  • Personal Assistant – updating my diary and keeping me on track.
  • Researcher – digging into tech solutions and summarising findings.
  • Marketing Assistant – writing social posts, blogs (like this one!), and campaign ideas.
  • Strategic Thinker – helping me plan events and analyse opportunities.
  • Project Planner – creating schedules and breaking down workloads.

Real-World Win

One of the biggest turning points? Planning for the Kent Construction Expo this October. I asked Copilot to help me draft a brief marketing plan, analyse ideas, create a schedule, and even update my diary with the tasks. It was like having a marketing team in my pocket — fast, focused, and surprisingly intuitive.

The Scepticism Factor

Of course, not everyone’s convinced. I’ve had colleagues raise eyebrows. Some small business owners worry it’s too complicated or too “techy” and I get it — the language around AI can be off-putting. But here’s the truth: once you learn how to ask Copilot the right way, it becomes one of the most useful tools you’ll ever use.

It’s not about replacing people. It’s about enhancing what we already do — giving us more time, more clarity, and more confidence.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a small business owner wondering whether AI is worth the fuss, I’d say: give it a go. Start small, ask it to help with something you’re stuck on, you might be surprised how quickly it becomes part of your day.

And if you want help getting started, drop me a message. I’m more than happy to share what I’ve learned — in plain English, no acronyms required.

A.I. Art – Great at a glance, until you look closer…

This image was generated using A.I. A very quick option, that nicely captures the theme of the post, until you start really looking at the details. Its a great tool, but not a complete replacement….yet!

How did I create this article?

As a marketing executive for J & J Systems, write a blog suitable for our website (www.jjsystems.co.uk), LinkedIn and that can be circulated to clients.

In that blog, discuss that everybody is talking about AI online, yet it feels like only ‘techy’ people are chatting about it in person & when they do, they talk in anacronyms and tech speak, making it hard to understand how AI can help a small business owner/manager.

Discuss using real world examples how I, Jacqui, have used AI, particularly Copilot to work increasingly effectively, by learning how to adapt my prompts and give myself a ‘compliance assistant’, ‘personal assistant’, ‘researcher’, ‘marketing assistant’, strategic thinker and ‘project planner’, to name a few roles.

Copilot has gone from an incidental usage licence, to a full-time product in place on my desktop all day each day. Site how i have increased my usage and use the chat i instigated yesterday to achieve this.

Use my tone and personable language, you can find examples on our website https://www.jjsystems.co.uk/all-the-latest/news/

In order to assist you, ask me three further questions, in an interview style, to expand your knowledge, one by one, before producing a draft article.

Copilot

Thanks Jacqui — that’s a brilliant example. Your use of Copilot to plan for the Kent Construction Expo in October really shows how it’s become a hands-on tool for strategic thinking, scheduling, and marketing execution.

I’ve now got everything I need to draft your blog post. Here’s what I’ll include:

  • The contrast between online AI buzz and real-world confusion.
  • Your journey from occasional Copilot use to full-time desktop companion.
  • Real examples: researching attendance logging solutions, planning for the Kent Construction Expo, and adapting prompts to create roles like compliance assistant and marketing strategist.
  • Your tone: personable, practical, and jargon-free — just like the style on https://www.jjsystems.co.uk/all-the-latest/news/.
  • Written in the first person.