A version of this post was first published on MapsAll. In 1995, musician and producer Brian Eno made a profound observation about computer sequencers that has become increasingly relevant in our AI-powered world: “The great benefit of computer sequencers is that they remove the issue of skill, and replace it with the issue of judgement. With Cubase or Photoshop, anybody can actually do anything, and you can make stuff that sounds very much like stuff you’d hear on the radio, or looks very much like anything you see in magazines. So the question becomes not whether you can do it or not, because any drudge can do it if they’re prepared to sit in front of the computer for a few days, the question then is, ‘Of all the things you can now do, which do you choose to do?’” The Parallel to AI Eno’s insight perfectly captures what’s happening with AI tools today. Just as computer sequencers democratized music production, AI is democratizing a wide range of creative and professional tasks: Writing and content creation Image generation and design Code development Data analysis Problem-solving The technical barriers that once separated amateurs from professionals are rapidly dissolving. Anyone with access to AI tools can now produce work that, at least superficially, resembles professional output. The New Differentiator: Judgement As Eno predicted, the key differentiator is no longer technical skill but judgement. When everyone can generate content, code, or designs, the real value lies in: Knowing what to create: Understanding what’s worth making in the first place Making meaningful choices: Selecting the right approach from countless possibilities Evaluating quality: Distinguishing between good and great outputs Understanding context: Applying the right solution to the right problem The Future of Work As AI continues to evolve, we’ll see more roles shift from technical execution to strategic judgement. The most valuable professionals will be those who can: Ask the right questi...
First seen: 2025-06-02 05:34
Last seen: 2025-06-02 19:37