A quick announcement before we get into things! I am recording an Ask Me Anything episode for How I Work next week and I need YOUR questions. Ask me absolutely anything about work advice, wellbeing, AI, or even my own current hacks and rituals that I'm experimenting with. Send me an audio message question or if that's not your bag, just hit reply with your question for me.

Now, onto today's proceedings....

Artificial Intelligence. Part of me loves this term - I mean, we share initials. What's not to love?

But when I sat down to interview world-renowned Silicon Valley futurist Bob Johansen on How I Work this week, he shared a simple reframe that has stuck with me.

Bob loathes the term "artificial intelligence." Like, really can't stand it. Instead, he thinks of it as Augmented Intelligence. And for me, it's a useful mindset shift for how we use these tools.

Why this word flip matters

When you think "artificial," you're basically saying "fake human brain, please do my thinking." When you think "augmented," you're saying "help me think better than I could on my own."

It's like the difference between hiring someone to replace you versus getting a really smart thinking buddy.

Bob's been chatting with AI for two years, and here's his view: don't use AI for answers - use it to stretch your thinking.

So this thing everyone's been using to save time is actually best used to think harder and better.

How to have better conversations with AI

1. Think conversation, not commands

Stop barking orders at AI like it's your overworked intern. Bob finds AI fairly average as a question-and-answer machine but brilliant when you treat it like a thinking partner. He talks to his AI (aptly named "Stretch") for hours, building on ideas rather than demanding quick fixes.

2. Name it

Bob calls his AI "Stretch" because that's what he wants: mental stretching. Don't call yours "Assistant" or "Helper" or, God forbid, "ChatGPT". Call it something that reflects how you want your mind augmented. (I'm personally considering "Unsticker" for my next creative block.)

3. Give it a home

Bob keeps Stretch running on a dedicated computer monitor all day. Having a separate space signals to your brain that this is an always-ready thinking partner, not just another tab you open when you need a quick email written.

What everyone is missing

While we're all obsessing over AI efficiency hacks, as a futurist, Bob sees something bigger: we're entering a world so complex that our old thinking methods just aren't cutting it anymore.

The future belongs to leaders who use AI not just to save time, but to think in ways they never could before. To navigate the incomprehensible and get unstuck when facing problems that have no precedent.

Your mission (should you chose to accept it)

Instead of using AI for your usual time-saving tricks this week, have one proper "I'm genuinely stuck" conversation with it. Pick something that's been puzzling you. Spend 10 minutes actually talking it through, building on ideas rather than hunting for quick answers.

​Listen to my full chat with Bob here.​

And happy augmenting.

(Oh - and if you are still reading, we will be announcing the dates for our next GenAI Mastery Cohort, where we promise to take you from AI dabbler to AI powerhouse in just 12 weeks. Pop your name on the waitlist to be the first to be notified).

Cheers
Amantha

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