by John Macdonald | Jun 7, 2025 | AI, The250
I’m generally an AI optimist here. Maybe an apologist also. But I recognize some of the dangers, the biggest of which is the incentives we give it. What if the incentives are malevolent? Fakers have been around for hundreds of years. Forgers,... by John Macdonald | Jun 3, 2025 | AI, The250
Productivity is easy to measure in industries that make stuff. How many cars off the line? How much wheat? How many I-beams? Productivity measurement in knowledge work is slippery. We try. Is it hours worked? Is it emails sent? Story points? Tickets resolved? Tax... by John Macdonald | May 31, 2025 | AI, The250
I’ve made it to 1000 days in a row. That’s about three years. Here are some observations: It doesn’t feel like 3 years. It’s now a habit. I get antsy if I can’t/don’t write. The perfect balance of working days... by John Macdonald | May 27, 2025 | AI, The250
The blank page used to mean something. It sometimes meant a world of possibilities laid out before you. The start of an adventure. Other times, it mocked you. It was a giant, glistening wall topped with the sharpest razor wire ever conceived. In either case, it was... by John Macdonald | May 26, 2025 | AI, The250
AI doesn’t think. Not like we do. Not like our brain does. It can spot patterns. It can synthesize. It can reframe, remix, and repackage. These can seem like thinking, much like it seems like we can fly with an... by John Macdonald | May 25, 2025 | AI, The250
We debate AI at the personal level. Is it OK to use AI to: Help me do homework? Help me code? Help me script a speech? Help me write a novel? Help me find patterns in this data? Help me determine the legal precedent? Help me create music and video?...