Going All In.
Why I’m taking a bet on my future now and how you can too.
Given I’ve been talking about AI and its impending disruption, I’ve had a few people ask me, “Should I learn AI?”
Learning how to use AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, MetaAI etc. is a no brainer in my opinion. It’s not just a great tool for work but they can also assist you with your personal life. From planning a trip to discussing your goals, its ability to think and communicate like a human makes it an extremely valuable tool to have.
In terms of developing the next AI model or tool, I personally don’t think everyone needs to learn how to do this. Similar to maintaining a car, it’s great to know the basics but if it breaks down you can always hire someone to help. Also, AI may not be the ceiling. It might just be what’s hot now and in time people (or AI) discover a whole new technology that we should know. However, If you’re passionate about AI and want to create your own model or tools then by all means, go ahead.
I’ve come to realise that the actual question people are asking is, “What skills can I develop to remain valuable and earn an income in a future with AI?”
This is something I’ve been trying to answer for myself. I’ve been trying to identify what will still exist or be of value in a world where AI is more present. The immediate answer would be to get better at using AI tools which may be true for the foreseeable future but not forever.
If you’re following the development of AI, it’s highly inevitable that the models will progress to a point where it doesn’t just help with the ‘thinking’, it will also do the ‘doing’. In due course human labour will become less valuable if AI (and Robots) are cheaper, faster, safer and better than a human at the same role. From CEOs all the way to people doing the ground work, no job or role will be safe over time.
So what is safe?
I believe it's crucial to identify what’s working now and recognise what will endure through change. Now that I’ve had time to digest many discussions from industry and thought leaders and experiment using different AI tools, the ‘safest’ route would be developing skills that enhance a person’s life.
Whether that’s with or without AI, people want and will still want things that will make their life ‘better’. Even in a future where our labour is no longer considered valuable, many people will still gravitate towards products, services and lifestyles that will make their life better in the moment or for a lifetime.
To predict what particular industry will be most fruitful is difficult unless you have a deeper understanding of the industry and are thinking about how it may evolve with these exponentially growing technologies. If you want to know if your industry or the skills you have will still be relevant, ask yourself, “Will this still make someone’s life better 30 years from now?” If you can make a strong case that it would then you might be on to something.
As someone who is on a mission to live intentionally, I’ve been trying to find something that:
Aligns with my direction
Gains traction in a rapidly changing world
Provides an opportunity for everyone
I’ve found something that ticks all those boxes and I can make a strong case that it will still make peoples life better in 30 years. That is - learning ecosystems.
A learning ecosystem is an interconnected environment designed for continuous enjoyment, education, and growth. By creating collaborative communities and tailored learning pathways, learning ecosystems facilitate knowledge sharing and skill development.
Learning ecosystems already exist. All online education, paid communities etc. are learning ecosystems. They are the current versions and will only evolve as time progresses. What is most appealing with learning ecosystems is that anyone can create one.
You don’t need a lot of capital or resources. You just need to identify a passion, skill or expertise that you want and can help others with. You also don’t need a big following, you just need to find others who are interested and continue to identify opportunities that can add value or enhance your members experience.
To double down on this bet, I’ve made the choice to streamline what I’m doing for work and create a business helping people create their own learning ecosystems. I will continue to speak into living intentionally as this all aligns with my direction and will share over time how people are creating learning ecosystems so you can develop one (or many) for yourself.
If you want to stay relevant in today's and tomorrow's economy, I believe the safest best is to focus on learning skills that improve people's lives with atleast a few decades in mind. This requires paying attention to advancements and finding where you want to apply yourself, if at all.
While there is a high possibility that I might not be entirely accurate with my bet, I do believe the desire to learn will still be around in some shape or form, 10, 20, 50+ years from now. In this rapidly evolving world, no one right now can predict what the future may look like or involve. However, I do believe the future belongs to those who are taking cues from all that is happening and going all in on themselves to figure it out.