I’m constantly amazed by how much time AI saves me these days. Whether it’s helping me write emails, better understand things, make decisions faster, develop, plan, etc. It feels like I’ve tapped into a personal productivity superpower. But the more I lean on these tools, the more I realize I’m giving up some real control—and that makes me a little uneasy.
The Titanic Lesson
I’ve been fascinated by the Titanic story since long before Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet made it iconic. I watched every documentary, read countless accounts, and even sketched my own versions of the ship. The Titanic was touted as “unsinkable,” which lulled its crew into a false sense of security—fewer lifeboats, ignored ice warnings, and an overconfidence that proved disastrous. I can’t help drawing parallels with how we sometimes treat AI. Because the technology seems “unsinkable,” we trust it blindly, forgetting that one overlooked glitch can easily steer us into an iceberg of trouble.
When Efficiency Means Less Control
Recently, I read a piece on That Startup Guy (Grant Janich’s newsletter) about AI-driven digital ads. Google and Meta promise better results with less effort—and they often deliver. But they’re also “black boxes,” so advertisers have little clarity on where ads appear or who sees them. It’s a tempting trade-off: let AI handle everything and boost performance, at the cost of transparency and, ultimately, control.
Striking the Right Balance
I love how AI helps me accomplish more in less time, but trust doesn’t mean blind faith. Whether it’s double-checking an AI-generated email or insisting on more ad transparency, I’d rather not “Titanic” my future. As Uncle Ben from Spider-Man said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” I’m keeping that in mind so I don’t end up hitting an iceberg when I least expect it.