Jeremy Utley of Stanford on AI as a Teammate: Boost Productivity and Creativity in 2025

Jeremy Utley, an adjunct professor at Stanford University who teaches creativity and AI, is on a mission to reframe how the world collaborates with artificial intelligence. His message? Stop using AI as a tool—treat it like a teammate.  

Visual image of Jeremy Utley

Speaking to The Associated Press, Utley recounted Winston Churchill’s legendary bathtub brainstorming sessions, where the British prime minister dictated speeches to an assistant. “Today, even the poorest person in Palo Alto can have what only Churchill once did: an assistant that knows their voice, context, and intent,” Utley said. “AI makes that possible. But most people aren’t tapping its full potential.”  

Utley, who has taught innovation and entrepreneurship at Stanford for 15 years, co-authored the 2022 book Idea Flow—a guide to creative problem-solving—just before ChatGPT’s launch upended his field. “It felt like writing the definitive book on retail right before Amazon took over,” he joked. Since then, he’s immersed himself in studying how generative AI can amplify human creativity, partnering with organizations like the National Park Service to demonstrate its transformative power.  

From “Tool” to “Teammate”: A Mindset Shift

Utley’s research reveals a stark divide in AI adoption. While studies show AI can boost productivity by 25% and output quality by 40%, fewer than 10% of professionals report meaningful gains. “The gap isn’t technical—it’s psychological,” he said.  

In experiments with U.S. and European teams, Utley found that underperformers treated AI as a passive tool, accepting its first drafts as “good enough.” Top performers, however, engaged with AI as a collaborator. “If a teammate gives you mediocre work, you coach them. Why not do the same with AI?” he said. This approach led to breakthroughs like refining prompts iteratively and using AI to roleplay difficult conversations.  

Infographic summarizing Jeremy Utley's AI teammate productivity framework

One example: Employees can simulate tough workplace discussions by having AI construct psychological profiles of colleagues, then roleplay their responses. “It’s like having a sparring partner for high-stakes interactions,” Utley explained. 

National Park Service Saves 7,000 Days of Work

Utley’s philosophy isn’t theoretical. Last year, he trained 60 National Park Service (NPS) staffers on AI basics. Among them was Adam Rymer, a facilities manager at Glen Canyon National Park, who dreaded the paperwork required to replace carpet tiles—a process taking up to three days per request.  

Using a no-code AI platform, Rymer built a tool in 45 minutes that automated forms. The NPS now estimates the tool will save 7,000 days of labor annually across its 430 parks. “This isn’t about coding genius,” Utley emphasized. “It’s about asking, ‘Where does my work suck? Can AI help?’”  

“Don’t Ask AI—Let It Ask You”

Utley advocates flipping the script: Instead of querying AI, let it interview you. He instructs users to prompt models with, “You’re an AI expert. Ask me questions to figure out how I can best leverage AI.”  

“Suddenly, the AI becomes a consultant uncovering needs you didn’t articulate,” he said. This method helped a healthcare executive discover AI could draft patient outreach scripts, saving her team 15 hours weekly.  

Creativity in the AI Era: Beyond “Good Enough”

Utley dismisses fears that AI stifles creativity. Citing a seventh grader’s definition—“Creativity is doing more than the first thing you think of”—he argues AI’s value lies in generating volume and variation. “Humans settle for ‘good enough.’ AI lets you explore 100 ideas in minutes, not days,” he said.  

He shared an anecdote from a Stanford class co-taught with Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Lecrae, who told students, “Inspiration is a discipline.” Utley now urges professionals to “curate inspiration” by feeding AI diverse inputs—articles, art, data—to fuel unique outputs. “Your perspective is the secret sauce,” he said. “Same AI, different results.”  

The Future: “Creators Will Be Unleashed”

Utley’s work has drawn attention from Fortune 500 companies and startups alike. He recently advised a Silicon Valley firm to integrate AI “teammates” into brainstorming sessions, leading to a patent-pending product concept in weeks.  

“Creators don’t need to fear AI—they’ll be unleashed,” he said, pointing to AI’s ability to handle drudgery so humans focus on high-impact thinking. “Churchill didn’t waste time formatting speeches. Why should we?”  

As AI evolves, Utley’s mantra remains: “Don’t use AI. Work with it.” His next project? A free online course to teach “AI collaboration literacy” to non-technical professionals. “The future belongs to those who partner with machines, not just push buttons,” he said. 

1️⃣ Treat AI as a Teammate, Not a Tool 🤝

Shift your mindset: Instead of using AI passively, engage with it as a collaborative partner.

Example:

If AI delivers mediocre results, don’t discard it—coach it. Provide feedback (e.g., "This draft is too formal; make it conversational") to refine outputs iteratively.

2️⃣ Let AI Ask You Questions 🗣️➡️🤖

Prompt: "You're an AI expert. Ask me questions one at a time to understand my workflows, goals, and challenges. Then suggest obvious and non-obvious ways AI could help me."

Outcome:

AI acts as a consultant, uncovering needs you might not have articulated.

3️⃣ Use AI to Roleplay Difficult Conversations 🎭

Prompt: "Construct a psychological profile of [person’s name] based on their behavior. Roleplay a conversation with them as if you were them, and give me feedback on my approach."

Outcome:

Simulate high-stakes interactions (e.g., negotiations, feedback sessions) to refine your strategy.

4️⃣ Focus on Tasks You “Dread” 😫➡️✨

Strategy: Identify repetitive, time-consuming tasks (e.g., paperwork, emails) and ask AI to automate or streamline them.

Example:

A National Park Service employee automated carpet-tile replacement forms, saving 7,000 days of labor annually.

5️⃣ Generate Volume and Variation 💡🌀

Prompt: “Give me 20 wildly different approaches to [problem]” or “Suggest 10 unconventional solutions.”

Goal:

Push past “good enough” ideas by leveraging AI’s ability to produce diverse options quickly.

6️⃣ Bring Your Unique Perspective 🎨

Strategy: Infuse AI interactions with your experiences, inspiration, and context.

Example:

Feed AI articles, art, or data you’ve curated to generate outputs aligned with your unique voice.

7️⃣ Use AI for “Drills” ❓🔍

Prompt: “What are 10 questions I should ask about this problem?” or “What do I need to clarify before proceeding?”

Outcome:

Uncover blind spots and refine your thinking before taking action.

8️⃣ Leverage AI as a Brainstorming Partner 🧠🤝

Prompt: "“Help me brainstorm [topic]. Start with obvious ideas, then suggest absurd ones.”

Result:

Break cognitive biases (e.g., functional fixedness) and spark creativity.

9️⃣ Iterate with Feedback Loops 🔄📈

Method: Treat AI like a junior colleague. If its output misses the mark,:

Say:

• “This isn’t quite right. Here’s why…”
• “Make it shorter/funnler/more data-driven.”

🔟 Explore Non-Obvious Use Cases 🚀

Use AI for creative tasks beyond writing: poetry, simulations, analogies.

Example: Use AI to:

• Draft poetry for team-building exercises. 
• Simulate customer personas for product testing.
• Generate analogies to explain complex ideas.