AI is not your Guru

The shiny new robot in the room promises to solve all your problems.

It will write your emails, schedule your meetings, summarize that book you haven't read, and create slide decks while you sleep.

But it can't fix the way you show up.

When you interrupt yourself every three minutes to check notifications, AI dutifully waits for your attention to return.

When you say yes to projects that don't matter, AI efficiently helps you complete work that shouldn't exist.

When you fail to block time for deep thinking, AI can't create the white space your best ideas require.

The most sophisticated algorithm can't prioritize for you. It can't tell you which meetings to skip. It can't force you to turn off your phone during family dinner.

Tools amplify who we already are. The craftsperson with discipline creates masterpieces with better tools. The scattered worker simply scatters faster with technological assistance.

Before asking AI to optimize your workflow, perhaps the better question is: What habits would make technology unnecessary?

The most valuable AI might be the one that occasionally reminds you to close your laptop and go for a walk.