Hi ,
Human beings are innately lazy and we have our Neanderthal ancestors to thank for it.
Back in Neanderthal days, when food was scarce, if you didn't conserve energy, you died. And if you tried something new,
there was also a pretty good chance you would die.
So, the cave people who lived to pass on their genes were typically the laziest and least adventurous of the group.
And now, many
generations on, we humans are naturally predisposed to laziness and inertia.
Yet, most of us are no longer at risk of becoming a tasty snack for a passing predator. And this predisposition has made it harder for us all to deliver value in the present.
Many people see ChatGPT as an opportunity to do less and cut corners. And the fact is, ChatGPT is a fantastic tool for summarising information.
But as friend of the list, Rod Aparicio pointed out in a recent series of emails (which inspired this post):
"AI is a great assistance and a way to automate redundancies in your processes. Yet, the expertise relies on
you."
AI can provide you with the information you need to make a decision, but it can't understand the implications of that decision for you. And as recent AI scandals, such as Robodebt, have showed, it most certainly shouldn't be making decisions on your behalf.
Those who want to relegate their decision-making and understanding to AI are the same people who will struggle to stand out in the "age of data". These are the "commodity data scientists" I referred to in my last few posts.
You have a choice between
putting in the hard work, earning the right to call yourself an expert and creating value through that expertise - or giving into your natural human tendencies to conserve energy, but creating little of value and losing the right to be an expert, in the process.
Whichever is more valuable to you is what you will ultimately choose.
Choose wisely.
Talk again soon,
Dr
Genevieve Hayes.
