Here is the official guide to AI competency for system building, broken into 5 steps.
1. The excitement
You try an artificial intelligence chatbot and become super excited. You’re doing things automatically that were once boring, like Excel, email responding and summarizing text. You feel excited and begin to think you can do anything.
This is mainly due to the Dunning-Kruger effect, where beginners feel much better than they are.
2. The delusion
This feeling that you can do anything manifests as delusion. Every idea you have is important and will make you a billionaire. Your friends and family notice and call you out on it.
Now you have two options. A: stop using AI completely, which is what most people do. Or B: realize you’re still a human with limitations.
3. Disillusionment and self-doubt
6 months to 3+ years. This is the stage where 95% quit.
Am I learning anything? Am I even getting better? Why isn’t anyone noticing me? I think I’m useful. Maybe not.
This was worse in my case because I was an early adopter. There were zero AI jobs available, and I had just stopped working full time so I could get better at AI. Hardly any income, and a big gamble.
4. It clicks
By year 4, one day it clicks. You’re running 5 systems at once. This becomes 30+. Soon you’re at a company doing everything, but your level of output is not reflected in your pay.
You burn out. Time to work for myself, or for someone else who “gets it.”
5. Expert territory
Year 5+. Burnout doesn’t affect you like it used to. You become noticed. Suddenly everyone is calling you. You’re in expert-level territory, but you suddenly realize this isn’t completely positive.
Now you have to manage other people, take phone calls all day long and stay on top of your game so you can remain on the throne.