Do you like scary movies?

I’m not a horror movie guy. Watching horror for entertainment feels like relaxing by going to one of those inflatable-soft-play-warehouses that amplify screaming children to scientifically impossible levels. 

When I couldn’t avoid horror movies (mostly for reasons of teenage social inclusion), I would deploy my preferred defensive strategy: avoid, ignore, outlast. I'd stare at the seat in front of me or be suddenly fascinated by the set design on the far edges of the frame until it was over. I could not tell you a single plot detail about the very few horror movies I’ve suffered through.

That strategy is only useful to a film's audience, of course. It doesn’t apply to the film's characters. When you’re living inside a horror movie, or, for example, a near-future technological dystopia, it’s much better to keep your eyes, and mind, open.

Don’t wander off into a forest by yourself to check things out. Never read the forbidden scroll. Splitting from the group to investigate the basement is right out. And for Peele's sake, turn the lights on! Be the smart characters who pay attention, adjust their behavior, and make it through the end credits.

This movie we’re all contractually obligated to star in right now has a confusing mess of themes going on, but one clear plot line is the rise of AI tools reshaping all our jobs.

It’s tempting to ignore it, to squeeze our eyes closed and wait for the end of the movie. But we don’t get to go home after the credits this time. Our world will continue on long after the underpaid cinema workers have cleaned the frankly appalling amount of garbage left behind.

So what does it mean to stay engaged, to pay attention during this moment? Some ideas:

How to stay alive out there

Find trustworthy, diverse voices to listen to:
When it comes to AI, I like to balance my reading and listening on the topic by visiting both ends of the Zitron <—> Newton spectrum. 

Familiarise yourself with the tools:
You'll soon be working with AI on a daily basis, if you aren't already. If you’ve done some experimenting yourself, you’ll be better positioned to selectively add helpful AI tools and systems to your work rather than have them mandated later. Just try something, see what happens.

Notice what works, and what doesn’t:
Where are people getting real benefits from their AI usage? What are your youngest, newest colleagues doing with AI? And where are your pre-AI skills becoming more valuable? Keep looking.

Apply your values in practice:
In the recent episodes of the podcast, I’ve spoken to founders with clear values who use them to measure their decisions and products. If you don’t know what matters most to you, you’ll be knocked off your footing by every passing trend.

Know your own strengths and interests:
Nobody is good at everything. The more you understand yourself, the easier it will be to accept artificial assistance in the areas you can most use it.

Think about what you do well, what you want to do better, and what you don’t care about.

Let’s all try to be a little more Dana Scully in our working lives. Willing to listen to the dreams and schemes of others, but skeptical, grounded, practical, and relentlessly competent.

Sometimes the monsters are real, and you have to deal with them as they arise. And then again when they pop back up after you thought they were for sure dead this time.