For about 10 years, my father has been my main editor on Monetary Samurai. When my father is not out there, my spouse steps in. This technique has allowed me to take care of a constant publishing schedule of three posts every week with a comparatively excessive customary of high quality.
Sometimes, I spend 1.5–3 hours writing a put up. Then, my father spends 1–1.5 hours enhancing it. After that, I take one other half-hour or so so as to add related hyperlinks, photographs, and share the put up on social media. Altogether, every put up can take as much as 5 hours to supply, regardless that they often take lower than 10 minutes to learn. No surprise why so many on-line writers do not final!
Luckily, I benefit from the technique of writing, spending roughly 10 hours every week on it. Nonetheless, in 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) turned mainstream with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Initially, I didn’t pay a lot consideration to it, as folks have been largely utilizing it for informal conversations—like having a digital companion.
However in early 2024, I discovered the right use case for ChatGPT after opening up a free account in 2023. After writing every put up, I would just drop all the put up within the software program to catch grammar errors and make my writing clearer. Not solely did this pace up my writing course of, but it surely additionally saved my father virtually 5 hours of labor every week.
In different phrases, AI changed my dad’s job.
My Dad Was Really Pleased AI Took Over
After counting on our writing and enhancing routine for therefore lengthy, I felt somewhat responsible about not sending him my draft posts anymore. So, someday, I requested him how he felt about it. To my shock, he was not solely effective with it, however really joyful!
Previously, he had often complained about my tendency to jot down an excessive amount of or be too wordy. Nonetheless, I didn’t anticipate him to be glad that he now not needed to edit my posts.
Positive, I wasn’t paying him a lot to edit—his “compensation” was with the ability to order Uber Eats on my bank card for no matter he and my mother needed. Throughout COVID, I set this as much as assist them keep away from public locations and pointless driving as senior residents of their 70s.
They love consuming out, so that they have been fairly happy with the association. Though he now not edits my usually posts, he’s nonetheless on the Monetary Samurai meal plan, which I’m joyful to proceed as a technique to make up for the years he helped me totally free.
The Downside With AI Taking Over My Dad’s Job
Right here’s the factor: I didn’t simply need my dad to be my editor for the assistance—it was a manner for us to bond. Since I revealed three posts every week, plus a weekly newsletter, I might name, textual content, or electronic mail him a minimum of 3 times every week. Throughout these exchanges, we might discuss concerning the put up, trad concepts, and focus on and the rest occurring in our lives.
Being my editor introduced us nearer collectively. I needed to endure a number of essential suggestions that typically stung, but it surely strengthened our relationship. Now that he’s now not enhancing usually, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a couple of times every week, however we now not chat as regularly or in as a lot element. That’s the most important draw back of AI changing my dad’s job—the decline in our conversations. How unhappy. I’m virtually at all times the one initiating contact now.
After I began Monetary Samurai, I envisioned it as a spot the place my mother and father might at all times verify in to see what I used to be as much as. I used to be dwelling in NYC and SF, whereas they have been overseas or living in Honolulu. Now, I hope it could function a repository of ideas and recollections for my kids.
Having Goal In Retirement Is So Vital
One other concern I’ve about AI taking on my dad’s job is that it takes away one among his functions. Although he says he’s joyful to now not edit my posts, I’m wondering if he’s actually 100% OK with it.
Everybody wants a way of goal, particularly in retirement. With out goal, you threat spending your days passively—sitting in entrance of the TV, letting your thoughts deteriorate.
By protecting the thoughts challenged, particularly in retirement, we’d be capable to stave off neurodegenerative problems. If we don’t use our minds and our bodies, we are inclined to lose them.
I fear about this for my dad as a result of I went via an analogous expertise after I retired in 2012. I felt unsure, anxious, and stressed for the primary couple of years. I’ve written concerning the downsides of early retirement to assist others really feel OK sharing their issues.
Writing for Monetary Samurai gave me a goal after I now not had purchasers to handle. Developing with new concepts has additionally saved my thoughts sharp.
Small Stunning Revelations Maintain Coming
For instance, simply the opposite day, I used to be telling my spouse how excited I used to be of a easy answer I got here up with for the work-from-home debate: work for a corporation that means that you can do business from home for a greater way of life, however spend money on firms that require staff to be within the workplace for higher returns.
I had been specializing in the work-from-home problem from the worker and supervisor views however hadn’t thought of it from an investor’s viewpoint. I’m certain others have considered this earlier than, however I hadn’t come throughout it anyplace else.
Consulting for a startup earlier this 12 months, even when only for four months, jogged my memory how a lot more durable startup staff work in comparison with these at established firms. One thing is at all times happening and startup staff want to have the ability to carry out a number of job features.
My newest consulting expertise prompted me to speculate extra in a venture capital fund focused on AI. Seeing sensible, motivated folks create is part of America’s magic. I had conviction investing in personal AI firms earlier than, however now I’ve much more.
Hopefully, usually exercising my thoughts by developing with new concepts will preserve it wholesome for longer.
Blind Spot: We’re Simply Two Totally different Individuals
Possibly my dad’s retirement is precisely what he needs—nice meals, Apple TV+, the occasional train class, and a quarterly poker night time with associates whereas dwelling in Hawaii. After I write this out, his retirement sound nice!
In spite of everything, he’s a conventional retiree in his 70s, whereas I retired early at 34 and am now 47. I probably have extra power to tackle new actions just because I’m youthful. I am additionally obsessive about doing as a lot as attainable earlier than I turn out to be incapacitated. My dad, alternatively, has been retired for over 20 years. So by now, he certainly is aware of what makes him happy.
Maybe my concern is that I see loads of lively folks of their late 60s and 70s taking part in pickleball, which amazes me. So, a part of me desires about that stage of exercise, potential, and group for my father.
However I’ve come to understand—and settle for—that we’re simply two totally different folks with totally different ranges of contentment. If he is not anxious, why ought to I be?
AI Could Be Coming For Your Job Too
Fortunately for my dad, he doesn’t want an enhancing job to make ends meet. After many years of working within the international service, he has a lifetime pension. However what I do know is that AI is coming for tens of millions of jobs. My dad’s facet hustle was one among them, and yours might be subsequent.
AI has boosted my productiveness by about 35%, and I anticipate that to develop as I get higher at utilizing it. Some web site homeowners are actually producing tons of of articles a month with AI, whereas I’m nonetheless stubbornly holding at 16.
I was skeptical of AI, however as soon as I discovered to make use of it, I turned a believer. This 12 months, I’ve invested over $140,000 into private AI companies, with plans to speculate extra as my money circulate permits.
Study To Use AI For Your Personal Good
You must get snug with AI to spice up your productiveness at work. Study each instrument and utility you possibly can as a result of in case you don’t, another person will, and you may fall behind.
I’m at the moment utilizing ChatGPT for essentially the most fundamental activity: enhancing. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it’ll get at studying my writing model. Finally, AI might generate posts which are 80%+ carried out primarily based on the subjects and parameters I set. That will save me three to 6 hours every week.
Then I might lastly sit on the seaside daily, sipping a margarita after a spherical of tennis. What a life! In fact, I might do this now, however I don’t as a result of I get pleasure from being productive. There’s one thing deeply rewarding about creating one thing from nothing.
Writing is a part of my ikigai—it not solely brings me happiness but in addition helps me work via dilemmas, which provides me a deep sense of satisfaction. By way of scripting this put up, I’ve come to understand the futility of making an attempt to alter somebody primarily based by myself wishes and the significance of letting folks be.
I’m not able to let AI take away that pleasure till I can now not create by myself.
Possibly I’ll educate my dad how one can use ChatGPT to edit my posts after I go to him subsequent. He’s used Grammarly earlier than, and since he’s not that enthusiastic about enhancing my work, AI might save him a number of time. Who is aware of, possibly his curiosity will return as he provides his private contact whereas protecting his thoughts sharp!
However once more, which may simply be me projecting. Go away him alone! I’ll verify in with him after he reads this put up.
Reader Questions
Has AI taken over your job but? If not, are you anxious it’ll? How are you utilizing AI to spice up your productiveness? I’d love to listen to all of the methods you’ve built-in AI into your work. Or, are you avoiding AI altogether?
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