Side note: For the article image, I wanted a visual representation of how my ADHD brain works so I asked ChatGPT to create one based on our conversations and this is the result.
It’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week. My friends and colleagues probably feel that I talk about ADHD a lot. But when you receive a diagnosis like this in adulthood, it’s like being handed a map to a place you’ve been navigating blind your whole life. Every day, I learn more about how my brain works, why I thrive in certain situations, and why I struggle in others. It’s a constant process of discovery, and as I uncover new insights about how my mind operates, I also find new ways to work with it instead of against it. (Just ask my partner about the QR codes I’ve put up around the house to help remind me of things!) I also hope that my reflections might help others who are experiencing similar things to me.
I’ve previously written about How ADHD Shaped My Unique Approach to Market Research, but lately, I’ve been thinking more about what it means to be a researcher with ADHD in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI has its pros and cons, and it’s far from perfect, but I use it every day and now wonder how I ever functioned without it.
AI has been a game-changer, helping me in areas where I tend to struggle, like structuring my thoughts in ways that are clear to others, managing timelines, and breaking down complex tasks so they feel less overwhelming. With that support, I’ve been able to lean more into my ADHD strengths around creativity, pattern recognition, and big-picture thinking and take them to the next level. Above all, AI tools help me learn in ways that align with how my brain works, making me a more effective researcher and strategist.
AI as an Executive Function Assistant
ADHD can make certain aspects of work – like structuring information, prioritizing tasks, and following through on admin-heavy work – very challenging. But I’ve been tackling these challenges by using AI as a personal assistant. It helps me to:
Turn unstructured thoughts into structured outlines. I can brain-dump ideas and enlist AI to help me organize them into a logical flow for presentations, reports, or proposals.
Manage tasks and deadlines. While I’ve always relied on to-do lists, AI-powered productivity apps help me prioritize action items, remind me of deadlines, and break projects into manageable steps.
Help with my content development. Writing is something I love, but getting started can be a major hurdle due to task initiation paralysis, a common challenge that comes with ADHD. AI helps me overcome this barrier by generating an initial outline I can build upon, making it easier to dive into writing. It also helps refine my arguments, identify blind spots, and ensure my content is both relevant and engaging – all while still allowing my voice and insights to shine through.
Process large amounts of information efficiently. ADHD can make it difficult to sift through dense reports or long documents without getting distracted or overwhelmed. AI helps me summarize complex information quickly, allowing me to focus on extracting key insights rather than getting lost in the details.
By offloading these executive function challenges to AI, I can spend more time leveraging my strengths being a creative problem-solver and big-picture thinker, without being bogged down by the cognitive friction that comes with ADHD.
AI as a Thinking Partner
One of my favorite things about AI is how it enhances my ability to think critically and creatively. I often use AI as a sounding board to bounce ideas off of—feeding it a concept and seeing how it responds allows me to refine my own thinking. In research, this has been particularly useful in:
Expanding perspectives. I consume a lot of media and engage with people from different backgrounds, which helps me approach research problems in unconventional ways. AI takes that a step further by surfacing viewpoints I may not have considered and summarizing relevant case studies, helping me think beyond my own experiences.
Challenging my conclusions. One of the most valuable ways I use AI is by asking it to poke holes in my theories. It forces me to step outside my own perspective, spot potential blind spots, and refine my arguments. This ensures I’m not just looking for confirmation but rigorously stress-testing my ideas.
Simplifying complexity. Research often involves making sense of large amounts of information and distilling it into clear, actionable insights. AI helps me refine language, structure my thoughts, and ensure my work is accessible to diverse audiences and useful to my clients.
I’ve always been strong at recognizing patterns and making unexpected connections, but AI has helped me pressure-test those insights, refine my storytelling, and challenge assumptions in a way that makes my research even stronger. It’s not just about efficiency — it’s about thinking more broadly, more deeply, and ultimately more effectively.
The Value of Working for an Organization That Invests in AI
I’m incredibly lucky to work for an organization that is investing in AI technology with a focus not to replace human thinking, but to enhance it. AI isn’t taking over the work of researchers, but it is helping us free up time for what truly matters: strategic thinking, storytelling, and insight generation – the very things our clients rely on us for (and ultimately value most.) We’re gradually integrating AI-driven tools that we’re building internally to help with the more technical aspects of research, like analyzing datasets, automating some charting, and streamlining processes. These advancements aren’t about replacing the human element but about augmenting our ability to dive deeper into our research findings and help organizations make informed, strategic decisions.
Our clients don’t just need data; they need narratives that provide clarity, context, and direction. While we’ve always delivered more than data, AI is helping us enhance our consulting role even more by giving us more time to focus on the high-value work that truly drives impact.
Why Neurodiversity Will Be Critical for the Future of Research
We’re seeing huge advances in AI’s ability to handle the technical aspects of research – tools that help us analyze datasets more efficiently, chart and visualize data, and automate repetitive tasks. That means we, as researchers, now have more time for the important work: context, interpretation, and understanding how data fits into the real world.
And that’s where neurodivergent thinkers are essential. If you don’t have people who think differently on your research team, you’re missing out. Neurodivergent people often bring unique perspectives, an ability to question assumptions, and a way of connecting seemingly unrelated ideas that can lead to breakthrough insights. As ADHD and other forms of neurodiversity gain prominence, it’s likely that all kinds of thinkers — from highly typical to highly atypical — will find themselves reflecting on their personal cognitive styles and strengths. I suspect that many, whatever their circumstances, will find AI to be a valuable resource and partner.
In a world where AI can crunch numbers in seconds, the real value of human researchers lies in understanding people, culture, values, and the human experience – and that requires diverse ways of thinking.
AI and Neurodiversity: A Powerful Combination
For organizations, AI tools present an opportunity to rethink how we support neurodivergent employees. Instead of trying to fit everyone into a neurotypical mold, what if we embraced different ways of working and used AI to create an environment where all kinds of thinkers thrive?
For me, AI has become an extension of and complement to my neurodivergent brain – a tool that helps me harness my creativity, structure my thoughts, and execute at a level that once felt out of reach. I believe that the more we embrace neurodiversity in research, especially in the age of AI, the more innovative, inclusive, and impactful our work will be.
