Wow, second post and he’s already talking about AI. Throw in some crypto and a little day trading and we’ll hit the tech bro trifecta.
I agree: it’s an overplayed topic foisted upon all of us and I’m not here to change that. That said, let’s acknowledge a few things:
- It’s here and accessible
- It’s a powerful technology with a new operating paradigm
- Like all technology, it’s neither good nor bad. It just amplifies the human condition
With that, I want my shot at it: there’s never been a more accessible revolution since the advent of fire (cue infomercial: with just a flint and some wood, YOU can be the hottest caveman on the planet).
You don’t need university time (early computers), a brownstone and money to pay for labor (early electricity), or a military clearance (microwave and radio communication). With the first world blessings of an internet connection and access to a computing device (smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop), you can access AI.
I’ll also point out how long science fiction has been waiting for this. See Packy’s amazing SciFi Idea Bank built with AI from the incredible work of Technovelgy.
So why are we so annoyed with this thing?
Strong opinion here: probably because we keep building dumb irrelevant shit no individual cares about or benefits from.
Companies definitely care about it: Marketing optimization, ROI maximization, CRM insights and automation, VC valuations, media manipulation.
But us mortals in our daily lives? Not really. It doesn’t save me money, give me more time, reduce my stress, or bring a guiltless smile to my face (see: Ghiblification).
But, can it?
Last year, I built a story generator with pictures and choose your own characters for my daughter so I could read to her about turtles and friendships even when I was traveling. (She loved it. For a week, I felt like the Dad I always wanted to be)
I made a small workout tracker that reminded me to get up every hour and complete a few reps. It totaled the calories and gave me progressions for exercises I wanted to get better at. (I hate pull-ups so much).
I journaled a lot more and learned about my emotional and social habits: good and bad. (in December, Anno Domini 2025, I used “no” as a full sentence in a professional context)
Yes, I could have done all of these without AI. But it would have taken significantly longer and cost quite a bit more in time, stress, and money. I’m not a web developer, a personal trainer, or a therapist. Neither is AI. I am someone who can set a goal and break down the steps and put in a reasonable effort tailored to my strengths and weaknesses.
That’s what I like about this AI thing. That’s what I’m going to do more of this year.