Are You Trying to Automate Everything with AI? Here’s Why You Should Stop

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the trend of people rushing to automate everything with AI, driven by the desire to "work smart, not hard" and find shortcuts and hacks to achieve their goals quickly and easily. The author, an AI engineer, argues that this approach leads to poor results and a loss of credibility, as one cannot automate tasks they haven't mastered themselves. The article emphasizes the importance of first working hard and building a deep understanding before leveraging AI and automation to work smart.

🙋 Q&A

[01] "Work smart, not hard"

1. What are the key issues with the "work smart, not hard" mantra?

• The "work smart, not hard" mantra is oversimplified and does not account for the necessary hard work required to build expertise and understanding.
• People wrongly believe that AI has changed the fundamental principle that achieving big goals, finishing difficult tasks, and learning complex topics has always been hard work.
• There is significant social pressure and obligation to work smart, leading people to seek shortcuts and automation without the necessary foundation of hard work and learning.

2. Why is it important to first work hard before working smart?

• Working hard first allows you to build a deep understanding of the process, learn from mistakes, and gain insights into what drives the desired outcomes.
• This foundation of hard work and expertise then enables you to effectively leverage technology and automation to work smart.
• Trying to work smart without first putting in the hard work leads to poor results, loss of credibility, and a lack of competence.

3. What is the author's revised mantra on working smart? The author's revised mantra is: "Work smart ONLY IF you've already worked hard."

[02] Leveraging AI Effectively

1. What are the key steps the author recommends before jumping into AI automation?

• Gain deep understanding of the task or domain through hard work and learning.
• Build a reputation for hard work and take pride in it.
• Only then can you effectively leverage technology and AI to work smart.

2. How does the author view the relationship between humans and AI?

• The author believes it's not "Human vs. AI" but rather "Human to the power of AI."
• AI is a tool that can enhance and amplify human capabilities, but the human foundation of expertise and understanding is crucial for AI to produce high-quality outputs.

3. What are some ways the author suggests using AI as a tool or assistant?

• Use AI as a tutor, helper, partner, assistant, amplifier, or personal coach to accelerate learning and boost creativity.
• Leverage AI for tasks like learning, brainstorming, and idea generation, but not for automating things you haven't mastered yourself.