For about 10 years, my father has been my major editor on Monetary Samurai. When my father is not out there, my spouse steps in. This method has allowed me to keep up a constant publishing schedule of three posts every week with a comparatively excessive normal of high quality.
Sometimes, I spend 1.5–3 hours writing a submit. 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, photos, and share the submit on social media. Altogether, every submit can take as much as 5 hours to provide, although they normally take lower than 10 minutes to learn. No surprise why so many on-line writers do not final!
Luckily, I benefit from the strategy of writing, spending roughly 10 hours every 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 individuals had 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 submit, I would just drop your entire submit within the software program to catch grammar errors and make my writing clearer. Not solely did this pace up my writing course of, nevertheless it additionally saved my father virtually 5 hours of labor every week.
In different phrases, AI changed my dad’s job.
My Dad Was Truly Completely satisfied AI Took Over
After counting on our writing and enhancing routine for thus lengthy, I felt slightly responsible about not sending him my draft posts anymore. So, in the future, I requested him how he felt about it. To my shock, he was not solely high quality with it, however really glad!
Up to now, he had sometimes complained about my tendency to write down an excessive amount of or be too wordy. Nevertheless, I didn’t anticipate him to be glad that he not needed to edit my posts.
Positive, 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, so that they had been fairly happy with the association. Though he not edits my repeatedly posts, he’s nonetheless on the Monetary Samurai meal plan, which I’m glad 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 means for us to bond. Since I revealed three posts every week, plus a weekly e-newsletter, I’d name, textual content, or electronic mail him no less than 3 times every week. Throughout these exchanges, we’d speak concerning the submit, trad concepts, and focus on and anything taking place in our lives.
Being my editor introduced us nearer collectively. I needed to endure plenty of essential suggestions that typically stung, nevertheless it strengthened our relationship. Now that he’s not enhancing repeatedly, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a few times every week, however we not chat as steadily 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 dad and mom may at all times examine in to see what I used to be as much as. I used to be dwelling in NYC and SF, whereas they had been overseas or dwelling in Honolulu. Now, I hope it will probably function a repository of ideas and recollections for my kids.
Having Function 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 glad to 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 danger spending your days passively—sitting in entrance of the TV, letting your thoughts deteriorate.
By protecting the thoughts challenged, particularly in retirement, we would be capable to stave off neurodegenerative issues. 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 way of 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 not had purchasers to handle. Developing with new concepts has additionally saved my thoughts sharp.
Small Shocking 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 an organization that means that you can work at home for a greater life-style, 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 concern from the worker and supervisor views however hadn’t thought of it from an investor’s viewpoint. I’m positive 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 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 enterprise capital fund centered on AI. Seeing sensible, motivated individuals create is part of America’s magic. I had conviction investing in non-public AI firms earlier than, however now I’ve much more.
Hopefully, repeatedly exercising my thoughts by developing with new concepts will maintain 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 dwelling in Hawaii. After 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 probably have extra vitality to tackle new actions just because I’m youthful. I am additionally obsessive about doing as a lot as attainable earlier than I turn into incapacitated. My dad, alternatively, has been retired for over 20 years. So by now, he certainly is aware of what makes him glad.
Maybe my worry is that I see loads of energetic individuals of their late 60s and 70s taking part in pickleball, which amazes me. So, a part of me desires about that degree of exercise, capability, and neighborhood for my father.
However I’ve come to appreciate—and settle for—that we’re simply two totally different individuals with totally different ranges of contentment. If he is not fearful, 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 facet hustle was one among them, and yours could possibly 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 house owners at the moment are producing a whole lot 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 yr, I’ve invested over $140,000 into non-public AI firms, with plans to speculate extra as my money stream permits.
Study To Use AI For Your Personal Good
It is advisable get comfy with AI to spice up your productiveness at work. Study each software and utility you possibly can as a result of in the event you don’t, another person will, and you will fall behind.
I’m at present utilizing ChatGPT for essentially the most fundamental process: enhancing. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it’ll get at studying my writing model. Ultimately, AI may generate posts which might be 80%+ achieved primarily based on the matters and parameters I set. That might save me three to 6 hours every week.
Then I may lastly sit on the seaside on daily basis, sipping a margarita after a spherical of tennis. What a life! In fact, I may do this now, however I don’t as a result of I take pleasure in 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 way of dilemmas, which supplies me a deep sense of satisfaction. By way of scripting this submit, I’ve come to appreciate the futility of making an attempt to alter somebody primarily based alone wishes and the significance of letting individuals be.
I’m not able to let AI take away that pleasure till I can not create alone.
Possibly I’ll educate my dad tips on 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 may save him plenty 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 examine in with him after he reads this submit.
Reader Questions
Has AI taken over your job but? If not, are you fearful 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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