Fact, Fiction, and the Future of AI in Technical Communication
AI didn’t quietly enter the market — it steamrolled into it. Almost overnight, it became impossible to ignore. Every company wanted a strategy, every product suddenly needed an AI angle, and every employee was expected to have an opinion, a use case, or preferably both. A few years in, the mood has shifted. The hype is still loud, but reality is starting to catch up. AI is genuinely powerful, but it is also over trusted, poorly understood, and often applied where it has no business being used. This presentation is about cutting through the noise. Not to worship AI and not to dismiss it, but to be honest about where we are. What works today? What keeps failing? And, how do you stay relevant when the market rewards speed, experimentation, and confidence — even when the technology is still unreliable?
Thomas graduated as M.Sc. in human physiology, biochemistry, and biology, but has spent the past 30 years in the world of computer graphics and communication. He has equally divided his expertise between design, training, and development. His expertise ranges from the intricacy of adjusting a glyph in a font to the million-page technical documentation.
Scott is passionate about technical content, learning, training, and helping his clients succeed. He has 30 years experience as a technical writer, instructional designer, trainer, and UX architect, and he has provided consulting and training for over 100 companies and government agencies around the world. He is a frequent speaker at technical content and user assistance conferences, and he has received four Best of Show awards from STC for his work. Scott is the author of MadCap Flare 2021: The Definitive Guide, HTML5 to the Point, and CSS to the Point. He holds a masters degree in Technical and Scientific Communication from Miami University (Ohio), and he is a proud STC Fellow.