Do you ever get the impression that you are playing catch-up? By that I mean trying to stay current with the changes in your discipline or career field. For me, it is all a bit overwhelming at times. But then I remember that I have a near-infinite capacity to learn and grow.
I was preparing for a talk I will be delivering later this week. Much of it focused on professional growth, but not in a traditional sense. Growth, in this case, focused on experimentation and adaptation. I will be presenting on this concept at the Dallas Tech Exchange hosted by Toyota Connected.
Generative AI is disrupting many professional disciplines, and most people, including me, are concerned about its impact on their livelihoods. The “fight, flight, or freeze” response is real in the face of danger. I choose to “flow” rather than any of the prior reactions.
So, what does “flow” look like to me?
Simply leaning into what is already happening and making smart investments in learning. Some of it is formal; much of it is informal. All of it is experiential.
I will acknowledge that I have certain liberties that I am exercising while stating that I also have constraints that I manage. Our daughters are young adults. My salary is solid, not “life changing” but solid. We could probably use the money I invest in my learning for a Toyota Corolla (to replace the nearly 20-year-old car our daughters drive).
Which brings me to this.
- Do you have a GitHub account? Yes, I do.
- Do you have a home lab? Yes, I do.
- Do you have access to the internet? Yes, I do.
The three things above have opened the door to me becoming “AI-fluent”. I could spend thousands to learn more AI theory, but why?
Now is the time for hands-on learning. For attending training that allows me to get my hands into the wiring of what makes AI work. No, I am not becoming an engineer of any type. Instead, I am becoming something useful.
I am an AI orchestrator. I build with AI. Likewise, I break with AI. Furthermore, I combine and recombine with AI. I allow myself a “beginner’s license” to experiment and fail with AI.
You might be wondering, “Tim, how does all that work?” Easy, you can watch my YouTube channel to see what I am talking about!
https://www.youtube.com/@TimDickey
I have so many videos showing what I am learning that might help you as well.
If you take nothing else away from this post, know this. You are not alone on this journey. Choose to walk it with someone who is not afraid to look silly!