For over 10 years, my father has been my major editor on Monetary Samurai. When my father is not out there, my spouse steps in. This technique has allowed me to keep up a constant publishing schedule of three high quality posts every week.
Usually, I spend 1.5–3 hours writing a publish. Then, my father spends 1–1.5 hours enhancing it. After that, I take one other half-hour or so so as to add related hyperlinks, pictures, and share the publish on social media. Altogether, every publish can take as much as 5 hours to provide, regardless that they often take lower than 10 minutes to learn.
No marvel why it’s so exhausting to final on-line! Not solely does it take large effort to finish a publish, all people expects you to jot down totally free. And in case you can’t get any sponsors, the pure plan of action is to give up.
Happily, I benefit from the strategy of writing, spending roughly 10 hours every week on it. Nevertheless, in 2022, synthetic 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 publish, I would just drop the complete publish 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 nearly 5 hours of labor every week.
In different phrases, AI changed my dad’s job.
My Dad Was Truly Joyful AI Took Over
After counting on our writing and enhancing routine for thus lengthy, I felt a bit responsible about not sending him my draft posts anymore. So, someday, I requested him how he felt about it. To my shock, he was not solely fantastic with it, however truly completely satisfied!
Up to now, he had often complained about my tendency to jot down an excessive amount of or be too wordy. Nevertheless, I didn’t count on him to be glad that he now not needed to edit my posts.
Certain, I wasn’t paying him a lot to edit—his “compensation” was with the ability to order Uber Eats on my bank card for no matter he and my mother wished. 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 repeatedly, he’s nonetheless on the Monetary Samurai meal plan, which I’m completely satisfied to proceed as a strategy to make up for the years he helped me totally free.
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 wished to have extra natural causes to name.
Since I revealed three posts every week, plus a weekly e-newsletter, I might name, textual content, or e-mail him a minimum of thrice every week. Throughout these exchanges, we might discuss in regards to the publish, commerce concepts, and talk about anything taking place in our lives.
Being my editor introduced us nearer collectively. I needed to endure numerous crucial suggestions that generally stung, nevertheless it was price it. Now that he’s now not enhancing repeatedly, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a few times every week, however we now not chat as steadily 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 all the time verify in to see what I used to be as much as. I used to be dwelling in SF and consistently touring, whereas they had been overseas or dwelling in Honolulu. Now, I hope it could possibly function a repository of ideas and recollections for my kids.
Having Function In Retirement Is So Necessary
One other concern I’ve about AI taking up my dad’s job is that it takes away one in every of his functions. Although he says he’s completely satisfied to now not edit my posts, I ponder 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 retaining the thoughts challenged, particularly in retirement, we’d be capable to stave off neurodegenerative issues or a minimum of 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 in regards to 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 Preserve Coming
For instance, simply the opposite day, I used to be telling my spouse how excited I used to be of a easy answer I got here up with for the work-from-home debate: work for a corporation that lets you work at home for a greater life-style, however put money into firms that require workers to be within the workplace for doubtlessly higher returns. This fashion, you’re a minimum of hedged.
I had been specializing in the work-from-home subject 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 just for 4 months, jogged my memory how a lot tougher startup workers work in comparison with these at established firms. One thing is all the time 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 enterprise capital fund targeted on AI. Seeing good, motivated individuals create is part of America’s magic. I had conviction investing in non-public progress firms earlier than, however now I’ve much more.
Hopefully, repeatedly exercising my thoughts by arising with new concepts will hold it wholesome for longer.
Blind Spot: We’re Simply Two Totally different Folks
Possibly my dad’s retirement is strictly what he needs—nice meals, Apple TV+, the occasional train class, and a quarterly poker night time with mates whereas dwelling in Hawaii. Once I write this out, his retirement sound nice!
In any case, he’s a standard 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 potential earlier than I turn into incapacitated. My dad, then again, has been retired for over 20 years. So by now, he absolutely is aware of what makes him completely satisfied.
Maybe my concern is that I see loads of energetic individuals of their late 60s and 70s enjoying pickleball, which amazes me. So, a part of me desires about that stage of exercise, means, and neighborhood 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 isn’t 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 enhancing job to make ends meet. After many years of working within the overseas service, he has a lifetime pension. However what I do know is that AI is coming for thousands and thousands of jobs. My dad’s job was one in every 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 homeowners are actually producing lots of 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 non-public AI firms, with plans to speculate extra as my money circulation permits. If OpenAI was going to place my dad out of labor, then a minimum of it ought to give me a return on my funding.
Be taught To Use AI For Your Personal Good
You could get snug with AI to spice up your productiveness at work. Construct or use an AI agent or AI copilot that will help you get work finished. Be taught each AI instrument and software you may as a result of in case you don’t, another person will, and you will fall behind.
I’m presently utilizing ChatGPT for probably the most fundamental process: enhancing. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it’s going to get at studying my writing type. Ultimately, AI may generate posts which might be 80%+ finished based mostly on the subjects and parameters I set. That will save me three to 6 hours every week.
Then I may lastly sit on the seashore day by day, sipping a margarita after a spherical of tennis. What a life! Effectively, perhaps 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 supplies me a deep sense of satisfaction. By way of scripting this publish, I’ve come to comprehend the futility of making an attempt to vary somebody based mostly 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 educate my dad methods to use ChatGPT to edit my posts once I go to him subsequent. He’s used Grammarly earlier than, and since he’s not that enthusiastic about enhancing my work, AI may save him numerous time. Who is aware of, perhaps his curiosity will return as he provides his private contact whereas retaining his thoughts sharp!
However once more, which may simply be me projecting. Depart him alone in retirement already! I’ll verify in with him after he reads this publish! Hope retirement life is treating you ever higher, dad.
Reader Questions
Has AI taken over your job but? If not, are you fearful it’s going to? 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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Roughly 65% of the Fundrise enterprise product is invests in synthetic intelligence, which I am bullish about. In 20 years, I do not need my children questioning why I did not put money into AI or work in AI!
The funding minimal can be solely $10. I am an investor and Fundrise can be a long-time sponsor of Monetary Samurai.