AI is Already Becoming Like Reading

AI is already becoming just as uninteresting as books, and that's a problem

It’s only been a year and AI is already becoming as boring to people as reading.

Meaning—the masses are starting to see it as just another tech phase, while the highly ambitious are working to integrate it into every part of their lives.

Rich and successful people have told us over and over that there’s a secret to their abilities. Voracious book consumption. 

Like a book a week in many cases. 1  And those are largely high-quality non-fiction books about science, business, productivity, and other topics that help one improve their lot in life—not just the fun stuff.

Successful people have told us for years that their secret is reading, but most people don’t listen.

Going back to my framing piece, I talked about how I generally meet two groups of people in the Bay Area. Group 1 is highly depressed, inactive, unhealthy, and they see the world as this evil and hostile place.

They also don’t generally read biographies, business books, science books, productivity books, or anything else oriented around motivation, self-discipline, innovation, positivity, and progress.

The other group that I meet is the exact opposite. They’re reading constantly! About how to be smarter. Healthier. More productive. How to start businesses. How to be more disciplined. And they see the world as a fundamentally positive place full of potential.

As with books, now with AI

And now it’s happening with AI! 

This is really frustrating me.

The masses are starting to ignore the benefits of AI and go back to normal. While the highly-ambitious are constantly reading and are using AI for absolutely everything.

If you thought the gap was big between readers and non-readers, wait until you see the gap between AI-augmented readers and everyone else.

In role-playing or gaming terms, these advantages stack.

If you want what the successful have, do what the successful do.

But that’s not what AI haters will say, or people who discount reading. They’ll talk about how flawed AI is. Or how it’s all hype. Or about how most books have flaws. Or most experts have been proven to be biased. Or some random narrative that convinces them to continue doing nothing.

Meanwhile, Group 2:

  • Starts businesses

  • Reads more

  • Learns constantly from AI

  • Gets even more optimized by AI

  • Gets healthier

  • Has a positive view of the world and the future

  • Continues learning

  • Gets most of the rewards in terms of money and advantages

The punchline

The unfortunate punchline of all this, and why this makes me so angry, is that Group 2 will end up with everything.

And Group 1 will get increasingly screwed by the changes that are happening to the economy.

But rather than see their own framing and behaviors as the problem, they’ll blame everything else.

It’s not a mystery how the hyper-sucessful get that way. There’s a blueprint that most anyone can follow.

Don’t be Group 1. I implore you.

Group 1 is a choice. Group 2 is a choice.

Choose Group 2.

  • Read like a crazy person

  • Define your goals as a human and in your career

  • Build plans to help you pursue them

  • Look to your own behavior as your primary obstacle

  • Use AI as much as possible to help you on your path

  • See the world as limitless potential for growth and positivity

These things don’t have to be strictly true at all times, but behaving as if they are is the best way to be both healthy and productive.

You got this.