And poke with “AI” but does not assume it’s gonna do the job if you can’t.

Most of us, young folks, are aware that in the era of so-called-AI or so-called-Gen-AI everything needs to be automated, are we? Is that what we want? I doubt that, highly.

I’m writing this from a position of a Software Engineer who, ugh, want AI to success. I want us to do crazy, creative stuff with less overhead. No, I don’t mean stakeholder value, I mean we need to grow as conscious beings and finding new ways, solving challenges and making the world a better place. #doNotYellCommieAtMe

Anyway, if we’re aware of the fact that AI does not solve complex challenges, nor it’s going to soon enough. (or not and I will need to change my mind 🤷‍♂) Why are we investing more and more time and money into “AI-based tooling”? I’m asking myself. I’m doing it for at least two reasons. The first one is that I’m interested in technology in general and its impact on the society. I also want boring tasks to be done quicker so I can do more creative and fulfilling work — or just spend more time with my loved ones. The second reason, on the other hand, is quite prosaic. I fear that I won’t stand out anymore. I won’t be relevant in the era of aggressive optimisation and I feel we all feel that recently. The fear of being left behind. And the fear is cured with action, by embracing my tech-bros-go-to-solution to everything = AI. And I’m guilty as charged! Currently surfing on Windsurf, ChatGPT and Copilot. L O L

Why!?

Back to the topic. If you realised that people around you stoped taking notes during meetings… ask them why? Is that because automatic AI-based transcription is running in the background? Ask them this: What have you been noting so far, mate? What people said? What’s the role of taking notes? I stopped taking notes for a brief moment. Now, I’m back to it. I realised this: Taking notes was never about what people have said.

Taking notes it’s about building a mental model of the challenge and the questions the team is facing. Pinpointing crucial knowledge and creating wisdom from it. It’s about uncovering insights and directions by asking the right questions, connecting dots, nailing down assumptions and making space for thoughts and ideas that are important but does not necessary have to be addressed here and now. I cannot really express how this is different to the AI based transcription happening in the background. So, please, do take your fucking notes. #okBoomer Draw manually (on screen too!) and ideate like a human because that will always be a worthy, interesting and fulfilling task to do.

And try out AI tools from time to time. They might help with some of your challenges.