[3-minute read]
I am delighted to announce that You++, my first book on A.I., will be published in October.
Click here to see the Amazon listing for You++
A.I. will be transformational in its own right – for good reason it has been termed the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”. Jobs and industries will disappear; new industries will develop. The way we live our lives will change significantly. There will be winners and losers.
The idea behind You++ is to provide people from all walks of life with ideas on how they can realise the opportunities that A.I. offers. I felt the need to write this book to give something back following a successful venture in AI; basing it on my observations of workplace and social trends over the last four decades.
I am not being nostalgic in believing that people felt more fulfilled when I was younger. Life was less stressful, you went to work from 9-5, evenings and weekends were for hobbies and social activities. I worked in telecommunications sales; yes, there was pressure to hit targets, but with self-discipline and organisation it was achievable, together with family life and the pursuit of sporting and other hobbies. There seemed to be more time available to fit everything in, to move forward in life and to be part of one or more communities.
Roll forward to today; we have all observed a decline in general mental well-being, together with a decline in job satisfaction and a diminished role for communal activities, even before COVID-19. People feel the need to justify the relevance of their role; they must work longer hours, and all of this impacts pastimes, social and family lives. We now have the gig economy – work when you want so you have more time. For many people though, we know it doesn’t work like that.
Technology has been the great enabler of these changes. The rise of Artificial Intelligence will exacerbate these trends – however, I believe that A.I. can give each of us a huge opportunity to gain more fulfilment and achieve more, both at work and play.
To use AI you will not need to be highly technical; it will be available via tools that are usable for anyone who can use a mobile phone.
Everyone will need to think differently; maybe side hustles will become the norm; the people who progress might even have AI coaches so they can learn faster. There are examples already: Duolingo is an app with an A.I. coach that can help you learn a new language; Cash Coach is a budgeting app with an A.I. coach that gamifies saving. Wingate and Finchley Football Club used an A.I. coach to help select their team’s formation and tactics.
I want to see a reversal of the trend to unhappiness; if nothing else for the sake of my children and theirs. I have written my first book, You++, as an accessible guide for people from all walks of life to embrace A.I. I do not just hope people read You++; I hope it is the seed for more conversations in society about training, entrepreneurship, and the future of work.
Please do comment on this article or get in touch if you wish to participate in this conversation.