For about 10 years, my father has been my main editor on Monetary Samurai. When my father is not accessible, my spouse steps in. This method has allowed me to take care of 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 modifying it. After that, I take one other half-hour or so so as to add related hyperlinks, pictures, 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 surprise why so many on-line writers do not final!
Happily, I benefit from the technique of writing, spending roughly 10 hours per week on it. Nevertheless, in 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) grew to become mainstream with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Initially, I didn’t pay a lot consideration to it, as folks had been principally 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 your 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, 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 Glad AI Took Over
After counting on our writing and modifying routine for thus lengthy, I felt just a little 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 wonderful with it, however truly glad!
Prior to now, 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 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, in order 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 free of charge.
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 method for us to bond. Since I printed three posts per week, plus a weekly newsletter, I might name, textual content, or e mail him at the very least thrice per week. Throughout these exchanges, we’d speak in regards to the put up, trad concepts, and talk about and the rest occurring in our lives.
Being my editor introduced us nearer collectively. I needed to endure loads of important suggestions that typically stung, nevertheless it strengthened our relationship. Now that he’s not modifying repeatedly, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a couple of times per week, however we not chat as incessantly 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.
After I began Monetary Samurai, I envisioned it as a spot the place my mother and father may all the time test in to see what I used to be as much as. I used to be residing in NYC and SF, whereas they had been overseas or living in Honolulu. Now, I hope it may possibly function a repository of ideas and recollections for my kids.
Having Objective In Retirement Is So Vital
One other concern I’ve about AI taking on my dad’s job is that it takes away one in every of his functions. Though he says he’s glad to not edit my posts, I ponder if he’s really 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 preserving the thoughts challenged, particularly in retirement, we’d be capable of 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 by means of an identical expertise after I retired in 2012. I felt unsure, anxious, and stressed for the primary couple of years. I’ve written in regards to the downsides of early retirement to assist others really feel OK sharing their considerations.
Writing for Monetary Samurai gave me a goal after I not had purchasers to handle. Arising with new concepts has additionally stored my thoughts sharp.
Small Stunning Revelations Hold Coming
For instance, simply the opposite day, I used to be telling my spouse how excited I used to be of a easy resolution I got here up with for the work-from-home debate: work for an organization that permits you to work at home for a greater way of life, however put money into firms that require workers to be within the workplace for higher returns.
I had been specializing in the work-from-home challenge 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 yr, even when only for four months, jogged my memory how a lot more durable startup workers work in comparison with these at established firms. One thing is all the time happening and startup workers 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 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, repeatedly exercising my thoughts by developing with new concepts will preserve it wholesome for longer.
Blind Spot: We’re Simply Two Totally different Folks
Perhaps my dad’s retirement is strictly what he desires—nice meals, Apple TV+, the occasional train class, and a quarterly poker evening with associates whereas residing in Hawaii. After I write this out, his retirement sound nice!
In spite of everything, he’s a standard 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 potential 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 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 degree of exercise, means, and neighborhood for my father.
However I’ve come to appreciate—and settle for—that we’re simply two completely different folks with completely 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 modifying job to make ends meet. After a long time of working within the international service, he has a lifetime pension. However what I do know is that AI is coming for hundreds of thousands of jobs. My dad’s aspect hustle was one in every of 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 discovered to make use of it, I grew to become a believer. This yr, I’ve invested over $140,000 into private AI companies, with plans to take a position extra as my money circulate permits.
Study To Use AI For Your Personal Good
It’s essential 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 presently utilizing ChatGPT for essentially the most primary job: modifying. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it’ll get at studying my writing model. Finally, AI may generate posts which are 80%+ accomplished primarily based on the matters and parameters I set. That will save me three to 6 hours per week.
Then I may lastly sit on the seashore every single day, sipping a margarita after a spherical of tennis. What a life! In fact, I may try 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 in addition helps me work by means of dilemmas, which provides me a deep sense of satisfaction. By way of penning this put up, I’ve come to appreciate the futility of attempting to vary 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.
Perhaps I’ll train my dad 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 modifying my work, AI may save him loads of time. Who is aware of, possibly his curiosity will return as he provides his private contact whereas preserving his thoughts sharp!
However once more, that may simply be me projecting. Go away him alone! I’ll test 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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