I really like your framing around AI by short-term efficiency instead of long-term resilience. For me, the real question is ownership: if you can’t replicate or even enhance the work without the tool you're using, you don’t truly own the expertise, you’ve just outsourced it.
The brands that stand out won’t just be the fastest adopters. They’ll be the ones using AI as a force multiplier on top of already strong foundations: judgment, creativity, domain expertise. In a world where the baseline keeps getting automated, the differentiator won’t be access to the tools. It will be the quality of creative thinking you layer on top of them - and as you said that's in danger of some serious erosion.
I think everything you're saying is spot on. But the thing I see missing from a lot of these pieces is, we've been through this many times before. From the introduction of machinery, assembly lines, computerization, and the generations of major advancement to each of those, we faced the same dilemma. There were improvements - dangerous work that caused harm to humans was reduced, we now see precision in manufacturing that wouldn't otherwise have been possible, etc. But remember the Luddites weren't anti-tech just because they were worried about their jobs - they were concerned about craftsmanship and quality being traded off for cost savings, and the transfer of wealth from the worker to the business owner. We've played out this same story so many times before. It's not even the first time the creative sector is being threatened. I'm an architect that has seen the era of drawing and building models by hand give way to several generations of technology. It's hard to say how much the product of our profession has changed (for better and worse) as a result of the impact of our own technology on our own thinking, versus that change merely as a reflection of the how the world at large (and technology at large) has changed.
You have a knack of putting into eloquent words, what I spend ages trying to fathom out, internally justify and externally express. Excellent and thought provoking piece. Never quite know how you make the time and process the thinking to put pen to paper so to speak, but keep doing so. Inspiring and enlightening.
This really made me think - thank you for calling it out. As a copywriter / writer this dilemma has been on my mind for some time, and increasingly recognising the homogenization of everything I'm seeing on line makes me feel more protective of my own brain. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad that someone like you is working in the companies that are implementing AI. Beautiful exploration and excellent points. I’ve been contemplating this as I use AI to help me here on sub stack. I always write and edit the posts myself without any input or assistance from AI. I do utilize the help of AI in crafting titles, but you’re inspiring me to take a closer look at the way AI crafts these titles so that I can get better at that and more confident.
Excellent piece and it really taps into the feeling that it's the application of AI that's the real worry, and not necessarily the technology itself. We are seeing this so often now - applying it to replace creative thinking or even creation itself instead of positioning it as a support mechanic to allow *us* to do that stuff
Totally agree and wrote something similar myself. Something i have come to call 'The Great Rot'
https://willposkett.substack.com/p/the-great-rot-howai-kills-your-edge
Greating writing as always zoe
Brilliant take as usual, thank you
I really like your framing around AI by short-term efficiency instead of long-term resilience. For me, the real question is ownership: if you can’t replicate or even enhance the work without the tool you're using, you don’t truly own the expertise, you’ve just outsourced it.
The brands that stand out won’t just be the fastest adopters. They’ll be the ones using AI as a force multiplier on top of already strong foundations: judgment, creativity, domain expertise. In a world where the baseline keeps getting automated, the differentiator won’t be access to the tools. It will be the quality of creative thinking you layer on top of them - and as you said that's in danger of some serious erosion.
MIT recently completed the first brain scan study of ChatGPT users & the results are telling.
AI isn't making us more productive, it’s making us cognitively bankrupt.
The importance of building cognitive strength - and become an AI multiplier not dependent - can’t be overstated.
I also wonder what happens to our imagination and ability to dream of different futures. Thank you for this piece.
Good read. I'm missing "Are we doing it because we are scared?" on your list of questions.
The last technology adopted out of fear and at the same time being very afraid of it was a dead end weapon.
I think everything you're saying is spot on. But the thing I see missing from a lot of these pieces is, we've been through this many times before. From the introduction of machinery, assembly lines, computerization, and the generations of major advancement to each of those, we faced the same dilemma. There were improvements - dangerous work that caused harm to humans was reduced, we now see precision in manufacturing that wouldn't otherwise have been possible, etc. But remember the Luddites weren't anti-tech just because they were worried about their jobs - they were concerned about craftsmanship and quality being traded off for cost savings, and the transfer of wealth from the worker to the business owner. We've played out this same story so many times before. It's not even the first time the creative sector is being threatened. I'm an architect that has seen the era of drawing and building models by hand give way to several generations of technology. It's hard to say how much the product of our profession has changed (for better and worse) as a result of the impact of our own technology on our own thinking, versus that change merely as a reflection of the how the world at large (and technology at large) has changed.
You have a knack of putting into eloquent words, what I spend ages trying to fathom out, internally justify and externally express. Excellent and thought provoking piece. Never quite know how you make the time and process the thinking to put pen to paper so to speak, but keep doing so. Inspiring and enlightening.
“I’ve seen it work beautifully when done right.” Can you expand a bit on this? It seems like the one bit of hope? I’d love to have your take
Absolutely on point. Brilliant take!
So good. How lucky your clients are to have you guiding their AI strategy.
This really made me think - thank you for calling it out. As a copywriter / writer this dilemma has been on my mind for some time, and increasingly recognising the homogenization of everything I'm seeing on line makes me feel more protective of my own brain. Thank you for sharing!
Absolutely brilliant
I’m so glad that someone like you is working in the companies that are implementing AI. Beautiful exploration and excellent points. I’ve been contemplating this as I use AI to help me here on sub stack. I always write and edit the posts myself without any input or assistance from AI. I do utilize the help of AI in crafting titles, but you’re inspiring me to take a closer look at the way AI crafts these titles so that I can get better at that and more confident.
Thanks for this, all very sound thinking I'd say.
We're building a sort of 'Shazam for Work' to help everyone figure out WTF [work] even is these days.
All via private, resonance based frequency broadcasting. Might work, might not. Need help!
Excellent piece and it really taps into the feeling that it's the application of AI that's the real worry, and not necessarily the technology itself. We are seeing this so often now - applying it to replace creative thinking or even creation itself instead of positioning it as a support mechanic to allow *us* to do that stuff