Are You Running Behind on AI?

(And Why Your Brain Wants You to Feel That Way) Dear Friend,

I mean, what did you think was happening when Google started finishing your search queries for you? Or when the world first began seriously discussing autonomous driving?

After spending over a decade leading investor relations in the automotive sector before moving into renewable energy, I watched the autonomous vehicle story unfold up close. At the time, it felt like science fiction. But what was actually driving that shift?

It was Artificial Intelligence, quietly operating in the background, learning and iterating long before it suddenly appeared on our desktops as a chat interface.

Although AI has been in development for decades, its sudden visibility has sent a shockwave through the corporate world. If you are sitting at your desk right now wondering, "Am I already falling behind on this?" – take a deep breath. You are not alone. The truth is, technology is now changing at a pace that fundamentally outstrips human biological adaptation.

I suppose our brains are not wired for exponential change. Human evolution is linear; we adapt to our environments step by step, generation by generation. Technology, however, is scaling exponentially. There are likely some behavioral psychology laws that do not apply to the human prefrontal cortex. When we encounter a tool that reinvents itself every week, our brains interpret that rapid change as a threat to our stability. We experience cognitive overload. The brain's status quo bias activates, making us feel overwhelmed, defensive, or constantly behind.

This psychological friction is exactly what leads to AI Fatigue.

In my conversations with peers and the bright minds in my IR network, I sense this exhaustion creeping in. Every day, a new model is released, a new prompt engineering course appears that you "must" take, or a new startup promises to automate your entire earnings preparation. It is a relentless stream of information. Instead of feeling empowered by these tools, many IROs feel paralyzed by the pressure to master them all at once.

But here is the reality check: You do not have to. You cannot adapt at the speed of a microchip, and trying to will only lead to burnout.

If you are feeling the weight of AI fatigue, here are a few practical approaches to regain your footing:

Shrink Your Sandbox: Do not try to learn "AI" as a broad concept. Choose one specific, annoying micro-task in your workflow, such as summarizing peer transcripts or drafting initial outlines for ESG metrics. Find one AI tool, use it only for that task, and master it. Once it feels like second nature, you can expand. Focus on the Playbook, Not Just the Technology: The fundamental goals of investor relations remain unchanged. Achieving sustainable success still depends on trust, transparency, and building strong relationships with the capital markets. AI is simply a new tool; it does not change the rules of the game. It may change how you interact in the future, when AI becomes the first line of approach for the buy side as well. Rely on your core expertise to guide how you use it. Schedule "Ignorant Time": Give yourself explicit permission to step away from the tech-trend treadmill. You do not need to read every single newsletter about the latest AI update. Set aside time to focus solely on the human elements of your job – strategy, relationship-building, and high-level thinking.

You are not running behind. You are experiencing the very human friction of a major technological shift. Manage your fatigue, trust your hard-earned experience, and remember that we are here to manage AI, not race against it.

So, what's your approach to AI... are you also feeling overwhelmed?

Best, Muge

Your fellow IR Enthusiast!

Currently serving as the Director of Investor Relations and Sustainability at Galata Wind Enerji (GWIND.IS), Yücel brings a wealth of experience to the role, having begun her investor relations career in 2008 at Dogus Otomotiv (DOAS.IS). Her expertise in proactive strategies utilizing digital technology and AI, particularly in shareholder targeting, is instrumental in communicating Galata Wind's growth story. Traded on the Istanbul Stock Exchange, Galata Wind operates wind and solar farms in Turkey and is strategically expanding into Europe, targeting a capacity of over 1000 MW by 2030.

Yücel has recently published "The Investor Relations Playbook - Achieving Sustainable Success", a hands-on guidebook on investor relations operations with templates, checklists and how-to guides. The book is available in print in Turkish and in digital form in English.

Yücel also makes the IROVISION newsletter available now as a video podcast. Find the show on spotify here.