So much of success is just timing. I feel lucky to have been 20-ish in the mid 1990s, seeing the potential for the web, being able to focus nearly all of my attention on it. The same will happen now for young folks who understand the AI shift. (Ironically, my own kids want nothing to do with it!)

@manton There were a large number of 20 ish ‘kids’ who wanted nothing to do with the internet in the mid 90s … it ‘is the way’

@manton Your kids may be on to something. Until a few months ago, YT creators used AI generated thumbnails to speed up production time. Fewer people clicked on their videos, because AI slop uses similar thumbnails. Now they’re back to handcrafted thumbnails. AI has a stink about it, so better use it on the backend instead of for what people get to see. Similar in apps and on websites with “helpful” assistents driven by AI, people seem to treat those as they do ads, i.e., ignore.

Silicon Valley is out of touch with regular people. AI is where the web was in 1996, with hard-to-use tools, no security in mind, and thoughts in the sky. It took 30 years to get things sorted out. Back then, as now, technology wasn’t the bottleneck, but rather lack of imagination and lack of empathy. Also, decision makers seem to have no clue about technology either. That hasn’t changed in 30 years.

Sorry for the rant.

@manton Started to reply but found @renevanbelzen said most of what I would have. I’ll just add that a world full of people chasing “things that AI can solve” will leave a large market open for people who remain focused on solving real problems that humans have.

@jkratz Nice! Yeah, I think for school there is something to doing things the old-fashioned way as part of learning how to learn.