one minute blog: the k-shaped economy

This is the One Minute Blog (OMB). An email of good stuff for you to think about over the weekend, that takes a minute to read.

Today’s word count: 432

Estimated read time: 1 min 53 sec.

[you walk in and see me sitting cross-legged, lighting candles, eyes closed]

Welcome my friend…I’m Shaan the Seer™ – The Oracle of the East Bay. The Prince of Predictions. 

You: Oh.. I was actually just looking for a bathroom. But I guess I do have a question for you… 

Speak it. 

You: Well, I’m pretty worried about AI. It seems great - but I’m worried about the future. Is this going to replace my job? 

Mmmm… I see… a letter. 

You: A letter? 

Silence! Your words are disturbing my vision… the letter…X?  No… C? no…AH YES. There it is. The letter is clear to my inner eye now. I see the letter K.

You: The letter K..?

Yes. The future is shaped like a K. There are two paths.

The first path, looks like this…**takes out glitter pen**

You: Oh sh*t! 80% of my skills will be replaced by AI? 

Yes dear. You are a horse. And Henry Ford just put a car on the road. The outlook is grim. 

You: C’mon don’t you think that’s a little dramatic? 

Are you questioning Shaan the Seer? 

You: No no, of course not. But wait, you said the future is shaped like a K.. what’s the upside? 

You have a choice. Either get replaced by AI, or learn to use it and become 10X more productive.

You: Got it. So how exactly do I do this? 

**turns down volume knob of “mystic ASMR summer jams2024”**

Listen kid, here’s what you need to do:

Stop thinking of your job as 1 big thing. Instead, think of your job as a “bundle of tasks”.

For example, if you’re a sales rep – your job is a bundle of tasks: 

• Prospecting potential customers

• Drafting cold emails

• Tracking response rates 

• Scheduling calls

• Doing the calls

• Writing notes during the call

• Followup emails

• Drafting proposals

• Updating your CRM

• Etc..

How many of those tasks can AI do today? Maybe only 2-3 out of 20 can be significantly boosted with AI today.

But AI is improving fast. Soon, half your tasks will be handled by AI.

Write this down - in the future being able to “manage robots” will be more valuable than managing humans.

So learn to use AI tools. Make them your baby-back-b*tch.

You: Make them my baby back wha–? 

You heard me. Now get out of here, I have customers waiting.

You: Thanks, Shaan the Seer. I’m going to go do this! 

WAIT! 

You: What? Are you having another vision

Yes… I see … numbers…. 15%....20%...25%.... 

You: Noooooooooooo!!!

**takes out iPad**

That’s all folks. Back again. Every Friday - the One Minute Blog. 

– Uncle Shaan

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