g’day
you may have caught matt shumer’s viral blog post yesterday: (link)
it’s got a lot of people worried.
and tbh, fair enough.
tl;dr: the rate at which ai is taking over knowledge work is scary, and it would shock a lot of people who aren’t in tech.
he’s not wrong: ai is eating the execution of tasks.
even scarier: it’s now showing signs it will eat the higher level ones:
orchestrating the ai. making decisions, with good taste.
*movie trailer voice*
but the ai’s about to get more than it bargained for:
because humans don’t get paid for tasks.
we get paid for outcomes.
and outcomes live in the real world:
saying you will do the work. signing the contract. getting paid. getting sued.
being on the hook. being an adult.
take these examples:
> in law: ai drafts, but a licensed lawyer signs and carries negligence risk.
> in media: ai generates, but a creator puts their brand on the line if it’s wrong or lame.
> in finance: ai trades, but the person/fund is on the hook for fiduciary duty and losses.
> in healthcare: ai suggests, but a doctor is accountable and regulated.
this is why the “AI replaces everyone” take misses the point.
low-responsibility work is under threat. low-ownership work is under threat.
but responsibility is becoming more valuable, not less.
so what does it all mean?
it’s no longer enough to know how to use ai.
nor to be the best person at your company at using it.
the premium flows to whoever can bridge model output and real-world consequence.
the people who win in this next era will be the ones who can say:
“i’ll deliver the outcome.”
and then do the adulting:
start the company. build the reputation. sign the contract. ship the work. carry the risk. collect the money.
it’s time to start putting your name to things.
and be on the hook.
charlie
