- AI is a generational shift—similar to computers, the internet and mobile—that is revolutionizing how work gets done. It is no longer a question of if or when.
- Tasks once simple for humans—like data entry—are now fully automated. Tasks once complex—such as coding—have been made easier with AI. And tasks once deemed impossible— for example, the one-person unicorn—have become the new reality, thanks to the trifecta of automation, AI, and human ingenuity.
- Put differently, going from zero to one requires human ingenuity. But scaling from one to hundred requires both automation and AI. With AI, you no longer have to choose only two out of the following three: cheaper, faster, and better. It is possible to have your cake and eat it—but only if you try.
- To be AI-first requires a fundamental rethink of how work gets done. For example, what would your company (or job) look like if it was started in 2025? Applying AI-gloss or band aid over existing processes and workflows will not suffice.
- AI is not a perfect technology (yet) and can make mistakes. Notwithstanding this, to wait for the technology to mature will be a colossal mistake on our part. Despite the hype around AI, we are still likely to underestimate what AI can achieve in the (very) long run.
- To paraphrase Bill Gates, we often overestimate what AI can achieve in one year and underestimate what it can accomplish in ten. While today’s AI is impressive, it still has its limitations—for instance, you can't yet design and manufacture an entire car using AI alone. The key is to view AI as a journey of small, incremental wins that build on each other. Start small: skateboard, then scooter, bicycle, motorcycle, and eventually a car. Each step builds momentum, and over time, the compounding effects of AI will truly amaze you.
- There is a right and wrong way to use AI today. The wrong way to use AI is to simply control-C/control-V the outputs of AI without applying critical thinking or adding any differentiated value (for example, our uniquely human experience) to it. After all, AI is highly democratized with almost universal access. Mindless copy-and-paste will only get you so far.
- As with any new trends, there will be winners and losers. It is virtually guaranteed that AI will result in at least some job losses. Heck, AI is an existential threat not just to employees, but to companies—and even entire industries. This is no time to bury our heads in the sand and pray that all will be good.
- There is no AI-first company without AI-enabled employees. This means that AI proficiency needs to be part of the evaluation for both new and existing hires.
- For employees, specialization—long prized since the Industrial Revolution—may soon become a thing of the past. In its place, demand is rising for generalists and professionals with expertise across multiple domains. In other words, be curious.
- An AI mindset is a lean mindset. Always ask yourself if today’s work can be accomplished by AI or automation instead of traditional manpower—such as employees, contractors and freelancers. In the AI age, Jeff Bezos’ two-pizza rule should be adjusted to one-pizza with a healthy sprinkling of GPUs instead.
- While AI is eating the world, it’s important to remember that the value of AI is defined by the outcomes, not merely the outputs. Understand the distinction between the two: an AI-generated content is an output, but a viral post that brings visitors to your website is an outcome.
- Doing more—preferably 10x or more—with the same or less is the only way to really future-proof yourself. Note that more refers to both quantity and quality.
- Now is a wonderful time to be a SMB. AI is a powerful force multiplier that can help David compete with Goliath. The only limits are the scale of your ambition and the clarity of your vision. Larger competitors, in contrast, will have their work cut out dealing with legacy issues.
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But be patient and hold on to your conviction that AI is the right play, even if the people around you disagree.
Thirty-seven thousand Americans died in car accidents in 1955, six times today’s rate adjusted for miles driven.
Ford began offering seat belts in every model that year. It was a $27 upgrade, equivalent to about $190 today. Research showed they reduced traffic fatalities by nearly 70%.
But only 2% of customers opted for the upgrade. Ninety-eight percent of buyers preferred to remain at the mercy of inertia.
Things eventually changed, but it took decades. Seatbelt usage was still under 15% in the early 1980s. It didn’t exceed 80% until the early 2000s – almost half a century after Ford offered them in all cars.
It’s easy to underestimate how social norms stall change, even when the change is an obvious improvement. One of the strongest forces in the world is the urge to keep doing things as you’ve always done them, because people don’t like to be told they’ve been doing things wrong. Change eventually comes, but agonizingly slower than you might assume.
—From A Few Short Stories by Morgan Housel -
Some practical advice (regardless of where you are):
- Use AI everyday, now.
- Do not be penny-wise, pound-foolish. Invest in paid AI tools as long as you can justify the cost from the value you derive out of these tools. Heck, pay out of your own pocket if you have to. Your future self will thank you for it.
- Trust, but verify. AI models are inherently probabilistic, not deterministic. Consequently, the higher the stakes, the more critical it is to review the results with a healthy dose of cynicism.
- Learn to be a good manager of AI agents—starting with the basics of effective prompting before progressing to managing multi-agents interactions.
- Learning needs to be both self-directed and continuous. What was state-of-the-art six months ago is now merely table stakes. Similarly, the boundaries of the art of the possible are being redrawn weekly—if not daily.
- Be prepared to get your hands dirty and apply what you learn. Learning about AI, while important, is merely a means to an end.
- Learning from successful use cases is one of the simplest and least risky ways to get started.
- Retain responsibility for any work outputs, even if they are entirely AI-generated. Taking ownership is the surest route to gain AI mastery.
Note: We will continually update this blog post as our thinking evolves so do bookmark this page to view our latest insights.
How to think about AI