Hi ,

​

Scuba divers use diving computers to plan their dives.

This allows them to calculate the metrics necessary for a successful dive, including depths, water temperature and decompression time, and build a profile of the dive before entering the water.

However, whereas beginner divers blindly follow the profile created by the computer, more experienced divers use that as a starting point and develop their own plans from there.

As Brand Strategy Consultant, Rod Aparicio, explained in his excellent email series drawing business lessons from his own diving experiences:

"The more pro you become, the more you use the computer as a support tool. Everything else, pen and paper, baby. Here's why. It increases your situational awareness, can be more flexible in the planning and provide even more accuracy on the times of the dive (decompression, in-between dives, etc.). Plus, you get to be ahead of any issue your computer might have (in the worst-case scenario)."

Experienced divers know that, although the computer can advise their decisions, it shouldn't make them for them. They're the ones who face the consequences if anything goes wrong.

Passing the buck to a computer is a dangerous strategy when the worst-case consequence is drowning.

Thinking beyond the computer's advice is how you survive.

Here's the thing...

Given the power of AI-based tools, such as ChatGPT, it can be tempting to delegate responsibilities to AI. But doing so is the hallmark of a novice.

And as Australia's Robodebt scandal showed, "the AI made me do it" is rarely considered an acceptable excuse by the public.

Just as dive computers are a fantastic support tool for beginners and experts alike, AI-based tools are also fantastic for assisting the decision process. And no one is suggesting anyone should make decisions without them. But the key word is "assisting".

What separates the beginner from the expert, in diving and with AI, is being able to leverage technology, rather than becoming its slave. Experts can think beyond AI.

And that's a valuable skill.

Because in a sink-or-swim world, the survivors are the ones who use all the intelligence at their disposal - not just the artificial kind.

Talk again soon,

Dr Genevieve Hayes.

All past emails are available in the archive.