- A large gap exists between the actual capabilities of AI today and how the majority of people use it in life and work.
- Closing this gap may take years, but in the meantime, opportunities to create value and wealth will open up for individuals, not just tech corporations.
- Generative AI is now more accessible than any previous technology, allowing even non-technical people to exploit it in their own ways, with no single “right way” to use it.
- According to the Pew Research Center, after just over 3 years, 62% of Americans use AI several times a week, with awareness levels reaching nearly 100%.
- Real-world examples show everyday users leading innovation: an Australian goat herder optimizing AI to write code; a nearly 50-year-old landscaping company in California using AI agents for agricultural consulting; a copywriter who lost clients to AI switching to teaching clients how to build their own AI tools.
- AI is currently still a tool to augment human capabilities, not completely replace labor.
- According to Ram Bala (Santa Clara University), AI chatbots are now “ready for mass use” thanks to reduced hallucinations and better integration with other software.
- Many breakthroughs come from users, not laboratories, demonstrating “capability overhang” – latent capabilities not yet exploited.
- OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Health to illustrate the ability to analyze medical records and health data.
- Users of Anthropic’s Claude Code discovered the “Ralph Wiggum” technique, helping AI self-improve code iteratively until perfection.
- Combining multiple AI models simultaneously can create superior capabilities compared to using a single model.
- AI helps very small teams, or even a single person, build products that once required massive resources.
- The case of a copywriter in Sydney switching to training clients to customize ChatGPT shows AI opening new livelihood paths.
- AI adoption will continue to spread rapidly, but unevenness between industries and individuals is inevitable.
📌 AI has established a strong presence in life, but the benefits are tilting toward those who dare to experiment early and persist. With usage rates reaching 62% in the US and the ability to create new value from everyday users, AI is driving unprecedented productivity growth. However, “capability overhang” (AI’s latent potential not yet fully exploited) also means that opportunities and risks are unevenly distributed, causing some sectors to break through quickly while others lag behind.
