For about 10 years, my father has been my major editor on Monetary Samurai. When my father is not obtainable, my spouse steps in. This method has allowed me to keep up a constant publishing schedule of three posts per week with a comparatively excessive customary of high quality.
Usually, 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 provide, though they often take lower than 10 minutes to learn. No marvel why so many on-line writers do not final!
Luckily, I benefit from the means of writing, spending roughly 10 hours per week on it. Nevertheless, in 2022, synthetic 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 proper use case for ChatGPT after opening up a free account in 2023. After writing every put up, I would just drop the complete put up within the software program to catch grammar errors and make my writing clearer. Not solely did this velocity 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 Glad AI Took Over
After counting on our writing and enhancing routine for thus lengthy, I felt a bit 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 superb with it, however truly comfortable!
Previously, he had sometimes complained about my tendency to put in writing an excessive amount of or be too wordy. Nevertheless, I didn’t count on him to be glad that he not needed to edit my posts.
Certain, I wasn’t paying him a lot to edit—his “compensation” was having 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, in order that they have been fairly happy with the association. Though he not edits my commonly posts, he’s nonetheless on the Monetary Samurai meal plan, which I’m comfortable to proceed as a approach to make up for the years he helped me totally free.
The Drawback 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 per week, plus a weekly publication, I’d name, textual content, or electronic mail him not less than 3 times per week. Throughout these exchanges, we might speak concerning the put up, trad concepts, and talk about and anything occurring in our lives.
Being my editor introduced us nearer collectively. I needed to endure a number of crucial suggestions that typically stung, but it surely strengthened our relationship. Now that he’s not enhancing commonly, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a few times per week, however we not chat as regularly or in as a lot element. That’s the largest draw back of AI changing my dad’s job—the decline in our conversations. How unhappy. I’m virtually all the time the one initiating contact now.
Once I began Monetary Samurai, I envisioned it as a spot the place my dad and mom might all the time verify in to see what I used to be as much as. I used to be residing in NYC and SF, whereas they have been overseas or residing in Honolulu. Now, I hope it could function a repository of ideas and reminiscences for my youngsters.
Having Goal In Retirement Is So Essential
One other concern I’ve about AI taking up my dad’s job is that it takes away one among his functions. Despite the fact that he says he’s comfortable to not edit my posts, I’m wondering if he’s really 100% OK with it.
Everybody wants a way of function, particularly in retirement. With out function, you threat spending your days passively—sitting in entrance of the TV, letting your thoughts deteriorate.
By holding the thoughts challenged, particularly in retirement, we would be capable of stave off neurodegenerative problems. If we don’t use our minds and our bodies, we are likely to lose them.
I fear about this for my dad as a result of I went by means of the same 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 considerations.
Writing for Monetary Samurai gave me a function after I not had purchasers to handle. Developing with new concepts has additionally stored my thoughts sharp.
Small Stunning Revelations Preserve 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 permits you to work at home for a greater way of life, however put money into corporations that require staff to be within the workplace for higher returns.
I had been specializing in the work-from-home subject from the worker and supervisor views however hadn’t thought-about 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 yr, even when just for 4 months, jogged my memory how a lot more durable startup staff work in comparison with these at established corporations. One thing is all the time happening and startup staff want to have the ability to carry out a number of job features.
My newest consulting expertise prompted me to take a position extra in a enterprise capital fund targeted on AI. Seeing sensible, motivated folks create is part of America’s magic. I had conviction investing in personal AI corporations earlier than, however now I’ve much more.
Hopefully, commonly exercising my thoughts by arising with new concepts will hold it wholesome for longer.
Blind Spot: We’re Simply Two Completely different Individuals
Possibly my dad’s retirement is precisely what he desires—nice meals, Apple TV+, the occasional train class, and a quarterly poker evening with buddies whereas residing in Hawaii. Once I write this out, his retirement sound nice!
In any case, he’s a conventional retiree in his 70s, whereas I retired early at 34 and am now 47. I doubtless have extra vitality to tackle new actions just because I’m youthful. I am additionally obsessive about doing as a lot as doable earlier than I turn out to be incapacitated. My dad, then again, has been retired for over 20 years. So by now, he absolutely is aware of what makes him comfortable.
Maybe my concern is that I see loads of lively folks of their late 60s and 70s enjoying pickleball, which amazes me. So, a part of me desires about that stage of exercise, means, 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 Might 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 overseas 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 aspect hustle was one among them, and yours might be subsequent.
AI has boosted my productiveness by about 35%, and I count on that to develop as I get higher at utilizing it. Some web site homeowners at the moment are producing a whole bunch of articles a month with AI, whereas I’m nonetheless stubbornly holding at 16.
I was skeptical of AI, however as soon as I realized to make use of it, I turned a believer. This yr, I’ve invested over $140,000 into personal AI corporations, with plans to take a position extra as my money move permits.
Study To Use AI For Your Personal Good
It’s good to get comfy with AI to spice up your productiveness at work. Study each software and software you’ll be able to as a result of should you don’t, another person will, and you will fall behind.
I’m at the moment utilizing ChatGPT for essentially the most primary job: enhancing. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it’ll get at studying my writing fashion. Ultimately, AI might generate posts which might be 80%+ achieved primarily based on the matters and parameters I set. That may save me three to 6 hours per week.
Then I might lastly sit on the seashore daily, sipping a margarita after a spherical of tennis. What a life! In fact, I might try 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 additionally helps me work by means of dilemmas, which provides me a deep sense of satisfaction. By scripting this put up, I’ve come to understand the futility of making an attempt to alter somebody primarily based alone wishes and the significance of letting folks be.
I’m not able to let AI take away that pleasure till I can not create alone.
Possibly I’ll train my dad learn how to use ChatGPT to edit my posts once 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, perhaps his curiosity will return as he provides his private contact whereas holding his thoughts sharp!
However once more, which may simply be me projecting. Depart 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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