Why Generalists Rule with Generative AI
In his mega bestseller Range, David Epstein makes the case that generalists, who possess wide-ranging knowledge and diverse skill sets, are primed for success in a world filled with complex challenges and rapid change.
Can you see where I’m going with this?
I’ve trained thousands of professionals on generative AI.
Over and over, I’ve found that those who find the greatest success in using genAI are those with an adaptable approach to problem-solving.
In other words…generalists.
Epstein floods us with evidence that those who draw insights from multiple domains can reach new conclusions and impactful strategies.
Similarly - tools like ChatGPT excel at synthesizing vast amounts of information to create innovative solutions.
This is some serious symbiosis, friends.
If this describes you - if you’ve been exposed to different kinds of careers, been called a jack-of-all-trades, and absorbed a broad range of information through different roles in your career….
Well, get yourself set up on ChatGPT. And tell your friends. Because this is your time.
Let’s get specific:
Why do generalists thrive using generative AI, and how can they take advantage of their experience?
1. Adaptability in Knowledge
Let’s say you’ve spent years becoming the ultimate expert in basket weaving. (Years!) You're the go-to person for all things woven. But then, along comes an AI that can weave baskets faster than you.
For specialists, this can feel like a threat to their very identity.
But for generalists?
It's just another tool in their ever-expanding toolkit.
Generalists are used to adapting and learning new things. Which means they are more likely to view AI as a shiny new toy to play with, not a challenge to our sense of self.
That’s a big deal.
2. Synthesis of Broad Concepts
Epstein also points out that generalists are the kings and queens of connecting the dots. They take information from all sorts of places and smoosh it together to create innovative solutions.
As fate would have it: That's exactly what LLMs like ChatGPT are designed to do.
Generalists thrive at brainstorming because that’s how they survive in a new role. They have to fit together new concepts because they’re constantly teaching themselves in a new job.
It’s what makes them the perfect partners for AI - sparking creative and informed conversations that don’t always come as naturally to deeper specialists.
3. Rapid Learning and Application
If there's one thing generalists are good at, it's learning new stuff fast. They have to be like sponges, soaking up knowledge from a variety of sources. And when it comes to AI tools like ChatGPT, which can teach us about anything from quantum particles to the history of the banjo, they tend to be in their element.
It's like learning a new language - something generalists can excel at because their brains are more adaptive when it comes to letting go of a rigid structure (i.e. their native language) and opening their mind to new ways of doing things.
In Range, Epstein talks about this as a catalyst to the evolution of higher IQ. In the age of generative AI, it’s all about adaptability.
4. Navigating Change
Generalists are accustomed to switching roles, industries, and even entire career paths. So when AI tools evolve faster than the land speed of a cheetah in a Lamborghini mounted on top of a supersonic jet, they tend to be ready to roll with the punches.
Their ability to adapt to new knowledge and environments makes them ideal users to make the most of AI's constant improvements.
5. Expressing Thoughts
Here's the thing about AI: it's not just about the tech. To make the most of these tools, you need skills like communication, empathy, and leadership. If you’ve mastered ChatGPT, you know that the single most important practical way of getting the most out of it is to talk to it like…yep, you guessed it…a human.
Generalists tend to be good communicators. Again - they have to be, because they are in a constant state of sharing information.
If you are a generalist, get yourself on ChatGPT. Talk to it like a human. Push it, create your own framework for mastering it. You’ll be thriving in no time.
AI NEWS OF THE WEEK
Meta Image Generator
When was the last time you signed on to Facebook? You ready for a good reason? Go to Meta.AI and try out their image generator, which creates your image as you type. It will blow your mind.
Apple’s Vision Pro stumbles
Word round the campfire is that Apple is cutting production of the Vision Pro. And may not release a new model next year. This is the future - spacial computing - but it also speaks to the difficulty of getting new tech up and running, even for Apple.
Google Cloud is on the rise
Google Cloud had an absolute blow out quarter. Why do we care that the rich got richer? Because in all the talk about the fastest LLM, we can’t forget that Google’s ecosystem is still lead dog in this pack, and if they have a good-enough generative AI platform, businesses won’t care if they’re winning the race. It’s a lesson.
Generative AI Tips
ChatGPT 4 with vision is my personal IT help desk. I know I talk about this a lot. But I use it almost daily, especially when I have new tech.
Like this new macbook. I’m trying to fix it so that I have the right permissions and MS Teams lets me share my screen. The kind of thing that would usually drive me to distraction.
I take a photo of my screen, tell ChatGPT my issue, and it just keeps working with me until we solve it. (Click the Apple! Go to Advanced Settings! Toggle the thingy!)
For that use case alone I swear I would pay $20 per month.
