Before AI arrived on the scene, when I was delivering a technical program and was preparing to test student’s skills in the lab, I’d sit down with a ruler and pencil and draw a grid, write the students names on the side and the skills to be tested across the top. Took about 5 minutes. I used that sheet to track the logistics and next up for a lab problem.
Of course we tracked the scores in a spreadsheet on the laptop sitting at the desk where we monitored the students. My colleague, hated seeing me make that grid in my notebook, he came excited one day, he made it on a spreadsheet and printed it out. Did he think that I couldn’t produce a simple grid with a spreadsheet? He did this twice.
The second time, I told him, I do this for two reasons. Its organic, these employees have to pass this program or they lose their job, When I draw this grid, it grounds me, I’m present, and secondly it’s practical, I grab the notebook walk to the class, to call the next students into the lab. I said whats next, you want to buy an intercom, so we don’t have to walk to the classroom and escort the student to the lab, just call their name on a speaker?
So your article hits home with me. If we take away “drawing that little grid”, that something organic, human, and important to workers, at all levels, whats left? AI has the power to transform, but think it through carefully.
That story really hits home; we should automate for the sake of automating. I also learn from writing, and from teaching, it's one of the reasons I write. We need to be careful not to let that decision of what to leave to AI be on autopilot.
Your story and your reflections make a strong case for slowing down and staying human, especially in moments where the stakes are real for others. Thanks for sharing this, and I’m going to check out your piece on High-Stakes Presence Erosion.
So glad to have you and your perspective! I’m with you, man! Am trying to wake folks up to the truth that AI is changing us our inner lives, how we experience ourselves and reality, more than our outer lives.
You put language to something I’ve felt in my own work with AI, that quiet shift from tool to crutch, from co-creator to ghostwriter. Your phrase “information inversion” hit me like a mirror.
Yes! That quiet shift from tool to crutch is so real. I’ve felt it too, especially in software engineering—when I start off using AI to help with small things, but slowly it starts shaping the whole structure. That “information inversion” moment feels like I’m no longer building something with the tool, but just watching it build without me.
This really resonated, especially your take on “information inversion.” I’ve seen that dynamic firsthand: when people let the tool steer the process, their voice flattens. I often remind them that AI can support clarity, but it can’t generate conviction.
Your line about using AI for synthesis, not soul, is a keeper.
This really spoke to me too—especially the part about “information inversion.” As a software engineer, I’ve definitely fallen into that trap myself. Sometimes when I’m vibe-coding or moving fast, I let AI suggest the structure of my code, and while it’s efficient, it can end up feeling kind of hollow—like it lacks my voice or deeper intent.
Man as the Image Bearer of God cannot and will not be replaced by Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Robotics.
Many companies have made the leap to replacing workforce, and many have paid the price. What they thought of as cost cutting and efficiency cost them soul and human emotional and relational intelligence, which has a scope far deeper then given credit.
Absolutely agree—AI will never replace God, nor the unique value and dignity of human beings made in His image. While technology can be a powerful tool, it cannot replicate the soul, the spirit, or the emotional and relational depth that humans bring into the world.
Many companies forget that efficiency without empathy is a hollow gain. There’s something sacred about human presence—our capacity for love, compassion, creativity, and moral reasoning—that no algorithm or robot can ever truly emulate. We were created with purpose, not programmed with code.
Thank you for sharing this truth—it's a timely reminder.
Enjoyed this piece. Leadership will certainly evolve. Some of the AI traps though feel not like the fault of AI but exposing an existing weakness in that leader. Led by data instead o& informed by data. It concerns me also that much of the experimentation in AI tools and thus recognising limitations and lack of soul isn’t being done by time starved leaders so there is a clear risk they seize upon the saving somewhat ignorant of what they are losing in the process. I work with early stage leaders, this is the world they will inherit. Great read.
Thank you, Ian! Yes, leaders sometimes think they can outsource the guardrails and risk management piece to the AI developers and that’s just not how it works, but they often don’t realize the risk that is present. I’d love to learn more of what you do
During the rise of Google, people continually asked whether having all the facts at our fingertips make us dumber. Short answer: no. It actually freed up space in our brains for higher-order thinking like synthesis, creativity, and insight.
Now AI is doing the same for more complex tasks... organizing, writing, even deciding.
Just like when we built gyms when machines took over physical labor so we could have our exercise, we now need “mental workouts” to stay sharp, and creativity, critical thinking, and emotional clarity will define our humanness.
The question now is, if AI becomes your second brain, how will you train your mind to stay fit?
Well said! I think technology, including AI, is amazing in how it helps us save time and streamline so much of our lives. But it also makes me wonder—are we really using the time we gain to connect more deeply, or are we just filling it with more tasks? As we automate more, I sometimes feel like the human connections we crave become even harder to hold onto.
Before AI arrived on the scene, when I was delivering a technical program and was preparing to test student’s skills in the lab, I’d sit down with a ruler and pencil and draw a grid, write the students names on the side and the skills to be tested across the top. Took about 5 minutes. I used that sheet to track the logistics and next up for a lab problem.
Of course we tracked the scores in a spreadsheet on the laptop sitting at the desk where we monitored the students. My colleague, hated seeing me make that grid in my notebook, he came excited one day, he made it on a spreadsheet and printed it out. Did he think that I couldn’t produce a simple grid with a spreadsheet? He did this twice.
The second time, I told him, I do this for two reasons. Its organic, these employees have to pass this program or they lose their job, When I draw this grid, it grounds me, I’m present, and secondly it’s practical, I grab the notebook walk to the class, to call the next students into the lab. I said whats next, you want to buy an intercom, so we don’t have to walk to the classroom and escort the student to the lab, just call their name on a speaker?
So your article hits home with me. If we take away “drawing that little grid”, that something organic, human, and important to workers, at all levels, whats left? AI has the power to transform, but think it through carefully.
Great job on this article Joel, you might enjoy my latest post, about High-Stakes presence erosion…https://kevinguiney.substack.com/p/high-stakes-presence-erosion
That story really hits home; we should automate for the sake of automating. I also learn from writing, and from teaching, it's one of the reasons I write. We need to be careful not to let that decision of what to leave to AI be on autopilot.
Loved your article, and just subscribed to you!
Your story and your reflections make a strong case for slowing down and staying human, especially in moments where the stakes are real for others. Thanks for sharing this, and I’m going to check out your piece on High-Stakes Presence Erosion.
Than you so much Joel!
So glad to have you and your perspective! I’m with you, man! Am trying to wake folks up to the truth that AI is changing us our inner lives, how we experience ourselves and reality, more than our outer lives.
My sermons are here: https://mindrevolution.substack.com/
Thank you so much, I just signed up to your substack.
We are doing similar work it seems. Good luck to you!
You put language to something I’ve felt in my own work with AI, that quiet shift from tool to crutch, from co-creator to ghostwriter. Your phrase “information inversion” hit me like a mirror.
Yes! That quiet shift from tool to crutch is so real. I’ve felt it too, especially in software engineering—when I start off using AI to help with small things, but slowly it starts shaping the whole structure. That “information inversion” moment feels like I’m no longer building something with the tool, but just watching it build without me.
Love hearing that, Colette, very encouraging :)
This really resonated, especially your take on “information inversion.” I’ve seen that dynamic firsthand: when people let the tool steer the process, their voice flattens. I often remind them that AI can support clarity, but it can’t generate conviction.
Your line about using AI for synthesis, not soul, is a keeper.
This really spoke to me too—especially the part about “information inversion.” As a software engineer, I’ve definitely fallen into that trap myself. Sometimes when I’m vibe-coding or moving fast, I let AI suggest the structure of my code, and while it’s efficient, it can end up feeling kind of hollow—like it lacks my voice or deeper intent.
So glad to hear that, Luan! Thanks!
A thoughtful explanation to what many are facing.
Man as the Image Bearer of God cannot and will not be replaced by Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Robotics.
Many companies have made the leap to replacing workforce, and many have paid the price. What they thought of as cost cutting and efficiency cost them soul and human emotional and relational intelligence, which has a scope far deeper then given credit.
When ai fixes all typos, you’ll be glad to see typos to prove my humanness ;)
I have been hearing that! I just didn't want other to misunderstand as well, not everyone reads more into it see the difference 🫶🏻
I appreciate it! Iron sharpens iron
Haha oh autocorrect failing me, but you get me!
lol
Absolutely agree—AI will never replace God, nor the unique value and dignity of human beings made in His image. While technology can be a powerful tool, it cannot replicate the soul, the spirit, or the emotional and relational depth that humans bring into the world.
Many companies forget that efficiency without empathy is a hollow gain. There’s something sacred about human presence—our capacity for love, compassion, creativity, and moral reasoning—that no algorithm or robot can ever truly emulate. We were created with purpose, not programmed with code.
Thank you for sharing this truth—it's a timely reminder.
Diminishing or replacing the value of human life, any human life, will not be the solution. Well said!
Will not* be the solution. But yes!
Enjoyed this piece. Leadership will certainly evolve. Some of the AI traps though feel not like the fault of AI but exposing an existing weakness in that leader. Led by data instead o& informed by data. It concerns me also that much of the experimentation in AI tools and thus recognising limitations and lack of soul isn’t being done by time starved leaders so there is a clear risk they seize upon the saving somewhat ignorant of what they are losing in the process. I work with early stage leaders, this is the world they will inherit. Great read.
Thank you, Ian! Yes, leaders sometimes think they can outsource the guardrails and risk management piece to the AI developers and that’s just not how it works, but they often don’t realize the risk that is present. I’d love to learn more of what you do
During the rise of Google, people continually asked whether having all the facts at our fingertips make us dumber. Short answer: no. It actually freed up space in our brains for higher-order thinking like synthesis, creativity, and insight.
Now AI is doing the same for more complex tasks... organizing, writing, even deciding.
Just like when we built gyms when machines took over physical labor so we could have our exercise, we now need “mental workouts” to stay sharp, and creativity, critical thinking, and emotional clarity will define our humanness.
The question now is, if AI becomes your second brain, how will you train your mind to stay fit?
That’s a great example! So true, if treated right, it frees up space for expertise. Very well put!
Here's the study on that: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12036037/
They said we still need “mental exercise” and things like memory retention, problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity are the new “workouts”
Thank you, I’ll dive into that today
Well said! I think technology, including AI, is amazing in how it helps us save time and streamline so much of our lives. But it also makes me wonder—are we really using the time we gain to connect more deeply, or are we just filling it with more tasks? As we automate more, I sometimes feel like the human connections we crave become even harder to hold onto.
Yes well said! That will be a big difference in quality every time