Note #1 to Ken and Sookie: Navigating the Uncertainties of an AI-Enabled Future
These notes are for 'Ken' and 'Sookie,' the American names my young Korean immigrant parents adopted while navigating profound change as they moved to the US in the 1970’s. In the notes within this blog, I imagine them as young adults again, but now encountering change and uncertainty from today's AI shifts – Sookie with potential job uncertainty, Ken with business disruption. Drawing inspiration from their historical resilience as young immigrants facing the unknown, I'm compelled to write with empathy and offer truly helpful thoughts for anyone navigating AI's rapid evolution. Remember, this isn't financial or direct strategic advice, but a perspective to encourage your own thoughtful consideration. I do not identify myself as their son in these notes, but in reality, I write with a son’s heart.
Dear Ken and Sookie,
It has been such an honor to get to know you both. Your resiliency, kindness, and hard-work ethic have motivated me in my own life. You have both been through so much change already—Sookie with your phenomenal career growth, and Ken with growing your business to unimaginable heights. Although I will start writing you separately to give you my thoughts on how to consider AI as an employee and as a business leader, I wanted to start by writing this letter to you both. I’ve recorded a video that explains one of the most important things to know about where AI is today and should give you an idea of why you need to really pay attention when many will choose to ignore things until AI becomes much more advanced and powerful. I hesitate to say that any time will be “too late to make changes”, but it seems wise to consider things now and start making plans immediately. Please consider this video.
As I mentioned in the video, agentic AI is what most companies and nation states are aiming to get to as fast as possible. It is an arms race. How soon will it be achieved? No one knows, even though some are predicting as soon as 2026 or 2027, but I will speak to that in future notes.
The biggest thing I will say is that you both need to take this seriously. I will write to you separately because I have different thoughts for those that run businesses (Ken) as compared to those that work in businesses (Sookie). You will each need to determine your own plans for how to think and live through the uncertainty that AI brings. I used to say in my talks that "Hope is not a plan." What I have learned from my favorite living philosopher (I am biased because he is a friend), Tom V. Morris, is that although hope by itself is not a plan, hope is needed for any plan to have a chance in times of uncertainty.
I will try to write you both weekly. This will be my goal, but my apologies if I falter from time to time.
Lastly, forgive me if I am being a bit too forward, but I've seen you both work together in the past. I think you two might be good for each other into the future. Take this however you would like to take it.
With much care,
Dr. Joe, Your AI Doctor
My notes to Sookie will always be free, as I understand employees often navigate workplace changes with fewer resources and support systems. My notes to Ken will be offered at an accessible price point designed to be a worthwhile investment for businesses of any size looking to adapt to AI changes.