🧶 Hone Your Craft, Embrace AI
Be great at what you do, never stop learning, and embrace change.
Executive Overview: Keep honing your craft and then sharpen it with AI.
In last week's article, you can read how AI just came for me by creating a podcast based on my content that is impossible to tell was AI-generated. It sent shivers up my spine as a podcaster because I knew this was only a glimpse of what was coming. That said, I had to ground myself in the following thoughts that I cover in today's article:
- Craftspeople and a tale of two froths
- You, as a craftsperson
- "Knows AI" is not a job description
- Thoughts on staying ahead with AI
☕️ Craftspeople and a Tale of two froths
I go on daily walks through Golden Gate Park and sometimes seek an energy boost in the form of an espresso macchiato. Cutting back on dairy, I order oat milk as a substitute. One day, a barista named Wayne asked if I wanted to try almond milk. I responded emphatically, "No, thank you," explaining that it is watery and does not have that velvety, unctuousness I love with that creamy top only oat milk and dairy can provide.
With a proud and sincere look in his eyes, Wayne responded with polite confidence: "But you haven't had my almond milk macchiato." Skeptical but always open to new ideas, I agreed to try his variation. I watched his performance as he walked me through a seemingly routine process, starting with pouring the almond into the frothing pitcher. What followed were some extra, and it turns out vital, steps I had not witnessed others take. The result, which you can see in the following photo, was frothy perfection that coated the tongue and perfectly complemented the bean brew hidden just below the creamy surface.
Making coffee can be a chore or a craft. The good people at Flywheel Coffee Roasters* are craftspeople, and Wayne is no different. I asked Wayne what made his almond milk foam different from everyone else's, and he proudly shared his secrets and various improvement tests yet to be performed. I will not reveal his almond milk magic here, but let me share an AI experiment I conducted.
Did you know OpenAI recently released a new type of ChatGPT LLM model called "o1" (pronounced 'oh-one')? It has advanced reasoning capabilities and lofty promises of improving quantum physics, cognition, and much more. So, I had a question: "Can ChatGPT recreate Wayne's almond milk froth or make it even better?" Let's find out!
Prompt: Think about the chemical makeup of almonds after they are processed and made into commercial-grade almond milk. Then, think about how the almond milk can be steamed and poured onto an espresso machiato. Define the process for making the creamiest, frothiest version.
If you have not used the o1 model, it "thinks" about the answer. In my case, the model spent 12 seconds thinking about topics like the chemical makeup of commercial almond milk, selecting almond milk, preparing and steaming the milk, and so on, until I received the following summarized response:
OpenAI's o1 model response: To create the creamiest and frothiest almond milk foam for your espresso macchiato, start by selecting a barista-grade almond milk designed for better frothing performance. Chill the milk and fill your frothing pitcher no more than one-third full. Begin steaming by positioning the steam wand tip just below the surface to introduce air for the first few seconds, creating foam. Then, submerge the wand slightly deeper to heat the milk to around 60–65°C (140–149°F) while creating a whirlpool effect to achieve a smooth microfoam. After steaming, gently tap and swirl the pitcher to eliminate large bubbles and integrate the foam. Pour the steamed almond milk promptly into your espresso, starting from a higher angle to mix, then bringing the pitcher closer to let the foam settle on top, optionally adding latte art for an appealing finish.
That looks like a pretty good response, right? No, not in this writer's opinion. Rather than synthesizing a new and novel approach, it is more or less regurgitating methods from its existing knowledge of similar recipes. Maybe the o1 model will help with quantum physics, but I do not believe the recipe is a novel approach.
Phew! +1 for human ingenuity and curiosity! Our AI overlords have not unlocked the secret to my favorite almond milk macchiato!
Unfortunately, some café staff at the San Francisco Airport are not as lucky.
You, as a craftsperson
You are reading the sixth iteration of this article. When writing articles, I think, "I can just crank this article out." The fact is, I cannot just "crank something out" because I care too much about storytelling and writing relatable stories.
Recently, this article's editor, Dr. Deborah Chen, reminded me that I am naturally curious. Sometimes, my curiosity sends me down complex and winding paths I did not previously understand. AI is an excellent example of that. I thought, "Oh, I will learn AI and machine learning." Now, two years later, my curiosity has led to this newsletter. I title the newsletter Bill Talks AI not simply for name recognition in the vast AI space but to keep myself grounded and reflect on perfecting and honing my craft. After all, my name is right there!
As a leader, I need to remain authentic, so AI will not write everything for me, but it will help me improve a message and reduce complexity. I use AI to brainstorm ideas, finish my sentences when I have writer's block, and write software code to automate complex processes I would once perform manually.
I propose that when you get to work, you think about the craft of what you do. Ask yourself if there is something new to learn, if you can be a voice on a particular topic, and yes, if you are embracing AI. If you do not know where to start or how AI works, reading this article is a great start, but know AI is here, and you need to stay ahead of the game.
Do not just embrace AI and use it to complement your work; get in front of it, automate your best practices, and find ways to give your craft superpowers.
🚫🤖 "Knows AI" is not a job description
Recently, several people I know added "ChatGPT" or "Copilot" to a list of skills on their resume in hopes that it would improve their chances of finding a new job or getting a promotion.
Writing "Microsoft Word" as a skill in your resume may be entirely appropriate for your job. But what if you work at a law firm and create a workflow process that validates court filings against rigorous filing standards and ensures the content makes solid arguments for your clients? That would set you apart from other candidates, showing you can make valuable contributions. The same thing goes with AI.
Whether you are just starting your career or have years of experience, you are a craftsperson. I encourage you to reflect on what makes you and your craft unique, relying on your creativity and thoughtful problem-solving. If you find yourself doing work that feels like "busy work," start thinking about how to introduce AI for those particular things.
For example, I run a podcast and must write a social media post for myself and my guest and a podcast description on the website. Now, I ask AI to write the posts using a template and then make a few corrections and tweaks so they remain authentic to my voice. That is just one example, but you can go much further by automating processes and much more.
You have a natural intuition for what will or will not work in your craft. Starting small with AI will help you build that same intuition.
🗓️ Schedule some time with me
Book a free 30-minute call with Bill Raymond using this link.
Thoughts on staying ahead with AI
IBM recently announced plans to replace thousands of jobs with AI; though the process has not been going well, the effort continues. CEOs are always looking to reduce costs and boost revenue, and part of that shift may involve replacing people with AI automation.
However, as a thoughtful, innovative craftsperson open to integrating AI into your work, you are uniquely positioned to thrive in this evolving landscape, where your skills will remain invaluable.
*Cogitate over a coffee
Do you live in San Francisco or plan to visit? Ponder how you might weave AI into your craft over a brew prepared by Wayne or any of the fine craftspeople at Flywheel Coffee.
Dr. Deborah Chen provided editing services for this article.
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