There is a lot of merit to the complaints about AI. While the technology is transformative, using it effectively requires navigating a minefield of "chummy" fluff, digital hallucinations, and political bias.
The "Chummy" Noise
First, there’s the phony encouragement. AI platforms often provide a hollow sense of support that I find annoying. Some might find this "friendliness" helps them work longer, but for me, it’s just noise that gets me off task. I’ve learned to ignore the compliments and stay focused on the work.
Filtering the Fluff and the Firewall
Then there is the "political correctness" of the scrape. AI often mirrors whatever is popular or "safe" at the moment, burying the actual data in evergreen filler. I have to pin these platforms down with strict boundaries to filter out the fluff. I’m not looking for what’s popular; I’m looking for scholarly expertise. We must also remember that the "good stuff"—true lifetime wisdom and proprietary knowledge—is often locked behind firewalls or remains inside people's heads. It isn't just being given away for free.
The Cost of Hallucinations
The hallucinations are more than just "glitches"—they are time-sinks. Just last week, a false claim sent me and an associate on a 48-hour wild goose chase. In business, time is money. We were lucky no one’s life was on the line, but the lack of factual basis is a constant risk.
Out-Logic-ing the Interface
Surprisingly, I’ve found I have a talent for out-arguing the AI to get what I need. It requires a specific kind of rigor, built on years of varied life experiences. It reminds me of my early college computer classes; it’s not as formulaic as learning BASIC, but it requires the same level of discipline to "win" the prompt. All those nifty tools aren't as impressive as you might think once you start using them.
Mastery vs. Enslavement
I’m past the point of hiding my AI use. I remember saying I’d never use text messaging, and that lesson turned me into an early adopter here. The faked friendliness and endless bullet points are irritating, but the reality is simple: very soon, there will be those who are enslaved to the machine and those who are running it like the Wizard of Oz. I intend to be the latter.
The Reality Check
I have no interest in the sci-fi fantasy of "unlimited abundance" or government-subsidized leisure. That utopia never works out in the books, and it won’t work in real life. Like HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the technology is always deciding if you are in the way.
AI is here. I plan on surviving by keeping my independence and my creativity. I will use the technology, but I will not let it rule me. I am here to help make the lives of dogs better, and same for their families. I am in the process of developing AI- assisted pet-related business consulting tools to do just that, well beyond the training of dogs that I am most well known for. AI can't replace you if you don't let it. It isn't alive, has no intuition, can't feel. There is a level of expertise it can't leverage without true experts. But it could put you out of business if you don't play this game.
What about you?
Oh... and yes, this article was written by me... and assisted by an AI platform. But it didn't get here without my final edit and approval, as it should be.
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