The AI Canyon

Have you ever stood at the edge of a canyon?

Some are sprawling and seem a little shallow. Probably because of their breadth. Some are narrow and look unendingly deep. Can’t see the bottom.

I’ve been a shallow and wide guy for most of my career.

I like breadth. I like knowing about a lot of different things. I like to see how the pieces fit together. It’s often served me well as a systems engineer, startup founder, and manager of disparate teams.

I’ve also been deep and narrow on many specific topics. I’m currently deep and narrow on using AI to do the work.

However, I think my natural tendency is towards shallow and wide.

Almost paradoxically, going deep and narrow on how to use AI to do work plays right into my natural tendency towards shallow and wide. Why do one thing when I can do ten things?

I’ll tell you why.

Because you still need deep and narrow. Deep and narrow pays dividends for the work. Craftsmanship. Attention to detail. Smooth edges. Expertise.

These matter to the recipients, and they matter to me/you, the one doing the work.

I find myself in a fight with myself. Do I cave to my natural tendencies? Just one more tab. Do I resist and try to go deeper and narrower on one thing?

I think the answer is both, and the magic will be knowing where to draw the line.

The AI canyon is both wide and deep.