For over 10 years, my father has been my major editor on Monetary Samurai. When my father is not accessible, my spouse steps in. This technique has allowed me to take care of a constant publishing schedule of three high quality posts per week.
Usually, I spend 1.5–3 hours writing a put up. Then, my father spends 1–1.5 hours modifying it. After that, I take one other half-hour or so so as to add related hyperlinks, photographs, and share the put up on social media. Altogether, every put up can take as much as 5 hours to provide, regardless that they often take lower than 10 minutes to learn.
No surprise why it’s so exhausting to final on-line! Not solely does it take big effort to finish a put up, all people expects you to write down free of charge. And in the event you can’t get any sponsors, the pure plan of action is to give up.
Happily, I benefit from the means of writing, spending roughly 10 hours per week on it. Nonetheless, in 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) grew to become mainstream with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Initially, I didn’t pay a lot consideration to it, as individuals had been largely utilizing it for informal conversations—like having a digital companion. Then I grew to become dismayed by how AI was merely stealing all publishers’ content material.
However in early 2024, I discovered the right use case for ChatGPT after opening up a free account in 2023. After writing every put up, I would just drop your entire put up within the software program to catch grammar errors and make my writing clearer. Not solely did this pace up my writing course of, nevertheless it additionally saved my father virtually 5 hours of labor every week.
In different phrases, AI changed my dad’s job.
My Dad Was Truly Completely happy AI Took Over
After counting on our writing and modifying routine for therefore lengthy, I felt a little bit responsible about not sending him my draft posts anymore. So, in the future, I requested him how he felt about it. To my shock, he was not solely high-quality with it, however truly glad!
Prior to now, he had often complained about my tendency to write down an excessive amount of or be too wordy. Nonetheless, I didn’t count on him to be glad that he now not needed to edit my posts.
Positive, I wasn’t paying him a lot to edit—his “compensation” was having the ability to order Uber Eats on my bank card for no matter he and my mother needed. My card is the default setting on his Uber Eats account. Throughout COVID, I set this as much as assist them keep away from public locations and pointless driving as senior residents of their 70s.
They love meals, in order that they had been fairly happy with the association. Though he now not edits my posts commonly, he’s nonetheless on the Monetary Samurai meal plan, which I’m glad to proceed as a option to make up for the years he helped me free of charge.
The Downside With AI Taking Over My Dad’s Job
Right here’s the factor: I didn’t simply need my dad to be my editor for the assistance—it was a means for us to bond. He’s a person of few phrases and I needed to have extra natural causes to name.
Since I revealed three posts per week, plus a weekly newsletter, I’d name, textual content, or e mail him not less than 3 times per week. Throughout these exchanges, we might discuss concerning the put up, commerce concepts, and focus on anything occurring in our lives.
Being my editor introduced us nearer collectively. I needed to endure numerous crucial suggestions that generally stung, nevertheless it was value it. Now that he’s now not modifying commonly, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a few times per week, however we now not chat as ceaselessly or in as a lot element. That’s the largest draw back of AI changing my dad’s job—the decline in our conversations. How unhappy.
Once I began Monetary Samurai, I envisioned it as a spot the place my mother and father may at all times test in to see what I used to be as much as. I used to be residing in SF and continuously touring, whereas they had been overseas or living in Honolulu. Now, I hope it might function a repository of ideas and recollections for my kids.
Having Objective In Retirement Is So Necessary
One other concern I’ve about AI taking up my dad’s job is that it takes away considered one of his functions. Despite the fact that he says he’s glad to now not edit my posts, I’m wondering if he’s really 100% OK with it.
Everybody wants a way of goal, particularly in retirement. With out goal, you threat spending your days passively—sitting in entrance of the TV, letting your thoughts and physique deteriorate.
By conserving the thoughts challenged, particularly in retirement, we’d have the ability to stave off neurodegenerative problems or not less than sluggish them down. If we don’t use our minds and our bodies, we are inclined to lose them.
I fear about this for my dad as a result of I went by means of a letdown after I retired in 2012. I felt unsure, anxious, and stressed for the primary couple of years. I’ve written concerning the downsides of early retirement to assist others really feel OK sharing their considerations.
Writing for Monetary Samurai gave me a goal after I now not had purchasers to handle. Arising with new concepts has additionally saved my thoughts sharp.
Small Shocking Revelations Maintain Coming
For instance, simply the opposite day, I used to be telling my spouse how excited I used to be of a easy resolution I got here up with for the work-from-home debate: work for a corporation that means that you can earn a living from home for a greater life-style, however spend money on firms that require workers to be within the workplace for doubtlessly higher returns. This fashion, you’re not less than hedged.
I had been specializing in the work-from-home problem from the worker and supervisor views however hadn’t thought-about it from an investor’s viewpoint. I’m certain others have considered this earlier than, however I hadn’t come throughout it communicated so succinctly as an answer.
Consulting for a startup earlier this yr, even when only for four months, jogged my memory how a lot tougher startup workers work in comparison with these at established firms. One thing is at all times occurring and startup workers want to have the ability to carry out a number of job capabilities.
My newest consulting expertise prompted me to speculate extra in a venture capital fund focused on AI. Seeing sensible, motivated individuals create is part of America’s magic. I had conviction investing in non-public development firms earlier than, however now I’ve much more.
Hopefully, commonly exercising my thoughts by developing with new concepts will preserve it wholesome for longer.
Blind Spot: We’re Simply Two Completely different Folks
Possibly my dad’s retirement is precisely what he desires—nice meals, Apple TV+, the occasional train class, and a quarterly poker night time with associates whereas residing in Hawaii. Once I write this out, his retirement sound nice!
In spite of everything, he’s a conventional retiree in his 70s, whereas I retired early at 34 and am now 47. I seemingly have extra vitality to tackle new actions just because I’m youthful. I am additionally obsessed with doing as a lot as doable earlier than I turn out to be incapacitated. My dad, alternatively, has been retired for over 20 years. So by now, he absolutely is aware of what makes him happy.
Maybe my concern is that I see loads of energetic individuals of their late 60s and 70s taking part in pickleball, which amazes me. So, a part of me desires about that stage of exercise, potential, and group for my father. I additionally fear about settling right into a sedentary life-style, as whether it is an inevitability as one ages.
However I’ve come to comprehend—and settle for—that we’re simply two totally different individuals with totally different ranges of contentment. If he is not fearful, why ought to I be? In addition to, it’s exhausting to vary one’s habits so late.
AI Might Be Coming For Your Job Too
Fortunately for my dad, he doesn’t want an modifying job to make ends meet. After a long time of working within the overseas service, he has a lifetime pension. However what I do know is that AI is coming for tens of millions of jobs. My dad’s job was considered one of them, and yours might be subsequent.
AI has boosted my productiveness by about 35%, and I count on that to develop as I get higher at utilizing it. Some web site house owners at the moment are producing a whole bunch of articles a month with AI, whereas I’m nonetheless stubbornly holding at 16.
I was skeptical of AI, however as soon as I realized to make use of it, I grew to become a believer. This yr, I’ve invested over $140,000 into private AI companies, with plans to speculate extra as my money circulate permits. If OpenAI was going to place my dad out of labor, then not less than it ought to give me a return on my funding.
Be taught To Use AI For Your Personal Good
It’s worthwhile to get snug with AI to spice up your productiveness at work. Be taught each software and software you may as a result of in the event you don’t, another person will, and you will fall behind.
I’m at present utilizing ChatGPT for probably the most primary process: modifying. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it’ll get at studying my writing fashion. Ultimately, AI may generate posts which can be 80%+ carried out primarily based on the matters and parameters I set. That may save me three to 6 hours per week.
Then I may lastly sit on the seaside on daily basis, sipping a margarita after a spherical of tennis. What a life! Effectively, possibly not. I may try this now, however I don’t as a result of I get pleasure from being productive. There’s one thing deeply rewarding about creating one thing from nothing.
Writing is a part of my ikigai—it not solely brings me happiness but additionally helps me work by means of dilemmas, which provides me a deep sense of satisfaction. By means of scripting this put up, I’ve come to comprehend the futility of attempting to vary somebody primarily based by myself wishes and the significance of letting individuals be.
I’m not able to let AI take away the enjoyment of effort and creativity but.
Possibly I’ll train my dad the way to use ChatGPT to edit my posts after I go to him subsequent. He’s used Grammarly earlier than, and since he’s not that enthusiastic about modifying my work, AI may save him numerous time. Who is aware of, possibly his curiosity will return as he provides his private contact whereas conserving his thoughts sharp!
However once more, which may simply be me projecting. Stay him alone in retirement already! I’ll test in with him after he reads this put up! Hope retirement life is treating you ever higher, dad.
Reader Questions
Has AI taken over your job but? If not, are you fearful it’ll? How are you utilizing AI to spice up your productiveness? I’d love to listen to all of the methods you’ve built-in AI into your work. Or, are you avoiding AI altogether?
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