OK, so why the AI Rubber duck? I've been struggling to create YouTube video content where I'm in front of the camera, or where I'm explaining something. HOWEVER, if I'm talking to a person, I'm not tongue-tied or struggling to express myself. Somehow, talking to a camera just makes me feel ultra self-conscious. The solution, apparently, is to avail myself of a rubber duck and talk to it. So in Midjourney, I imagined what my ideal rubber duck would look like. One that would inspire me to create better social content and be more talkative on videos. Meet Arthur, my AI rubber duck! He doesn't exist in real life... maybe there's a GPT I need to create there! But he now exists...even if only in my mind and on screen and on a t-shirt!
On to today's post:
In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, we're currently experiencing what feels like a seismic shift, one that could redefine our roles as knowledge workers and reshape our personal and professional landscapes. With the recent release of OpenAI's latest ChatGPT version, we're not just looking at incremental updates but a profound enhancement in how AI systems think and operate sequentially. This is not just a tool; it's a thinking partner, poised to revolutionize our interactions with technology.
The new version uses 'chain of thought' models. This enables the AI to sequentially think about its responses, resulting in better, more coherent outputs. It allows regular, ordinary people to achieve results that would previously require a skilled 'prompt engineer'. Yes, the information is expensive, and they've limited it to 50 questions a week, but boy, go out and use it with your best prompts! You'll need the paid version, but cool, that's ok!
Back in the day, the toolkit for a knowledge worker consisted mainly of proficiency in software like Word, Excel, and maybe Access, topped with subject matter expertise. Fast forward to today, and the bar has significantly shifted. The concept of 'T-shaped skills,' which I've discussed before, is undergoing a transformation under the influence of AI. Traditionally, the vertical stroke of the 'T' represented deep expertise in one area, while the horizontal bar facilitated broader, more general skills. However, AI's integration into our workspaces suggests that while the deep expertise remains crucial, the breadth of general skills is expanding more than ever.
This expansion is not just about adding more tools to our arsenal but deepening our meta-skills. These are the skills that help us do our jobs more effectively, such as project management, time organization, communication, and prompt engineering. For instance, effective time management allows us to balance AI-assisted tasks with human-centric work. Project management skills help us integrate AI tools into larger workflows. Communication skills become even more crucial as we need to articulate complex ideas to both humans and AI systems. And prompt engineering, a relatively new skill, allows us to effectively guide AI to produce the results we need.
On a personal note, my journey with AI has been unexpectedly transformative. Without a formal background in art or entrepreneurship, I've found that AI not only augments my creativity but also empowers me to execute ideas that once seemed unreachable. It's like having a new lens through which to view the world, sparking a revival of energy and purpose. I've been inspired by AI-generated images and videos, and as a direct result, I've been ideating my own creative ideas. I've had these ideas created in Midjourney and then printed onto canvases, t-shirts, and other apparel. This process has opened up a whole new world of creative possibilities for me.
Interestingly, while AI has become a central part of my life, it has also led to concerns from those around me—like the intervention staged by my friends during a recent birthday party, urging me to balance my time and get some sleep. This juxtaposition of excitement and caution serves as a reminder of the need to maintain balance. I'd stay up until 4 AM because I've been over-excited to keep going through the night when I could and should sleep. It's about energy balance and maintaining my health.
As we continue to explore the capabilities and impacts of AI, it's essential for each of us to find our purpose. If you're unsure of your purpose, maybe it's not about searching in the dark but about engaging with new technologies like AI that can spark that discovery. For those of us in the AI community, our role extends beyond mere usage; we are pioneers on the frontline of this technological evolution. The main responsibilities of these pioneers are to use AI ethically and ultimately for the good of mankind, nature, and the environment. While AI is synthetic, there's no reason that it cannot make the world a better place.
Whether or not AI is my ultimate calling, it has undoubtedly led me to explore potential that I never knew existed. As we move forward in this AI-driven world, let's remember to balance our excitement with responsibility, our innovation with ethics, and our personal growth with the greater good of society.
Tariffs of up to 245 % on some Chinese imports, Beijing’s 125 % counter‑tariffs, rare‑earth choke‑points, and an AI arms‑race have converged into the most abrupt economic realignment in a generation. Supply chains are fraying, hospital drug cupboards run thin on China‑made antibiotics, and AI layoffs are already moving from rumor to reality. Yet inside that chaos sits the same lifeboat that threatens to drown us: Artificial Intelligence.
