In my last article, I shared how a young professional named Emma used AI as part of her job search. Watching how naturally she worked with AI made me pay closer attention to how other people around me were using it. My next lesson came from an unexpected place—my son. Sometimes you don’t realize the world has changed until you watch someone else living in it.
My son and his girlfriend are currently living the van life. They travel the country in a Sprinter van while he works full-time in a knowledge-based role. One day he’s parked outside a national park enjoying the scenery; the next he’s leading meetings, analyzing large datasets, and solving complex business problems from a picnic table.
When he was home recently, his days were a mix of work, family time and relaxation. While he was working, he was often on video calls with coworkers. Sometimes, while working on his laptop, he would simply ask a question out loud. I realized he was talking to AI as part of his work.
Soon he and his girlfriend were preparing to drive to Montana. Their Sprinter van had started showing its limits on long mountain climbs. My son wanted to know which routes had the fewest long, steep mountain climbs. Of course, I started to think about how I would figure this out. I’d probably open Google Maps. Then I’d compare a few routes. Maybe I’d search for mountain passes, look at elevation maps, read a few websites, and piece together enough information to make an educated guess.
As I was mentally working through all those steps, I heard him simply ask his phone: “What’s the best route from Sacramento, California, to central Montana with the fewest long, steep mountain climbs?” That was it. One question. A conversational answer. Decision made. A few minutes later, they packed up the van and headed out. The route worked, the van performed well, and they arrived safely.
My brain, however, took a little longer to catch up.
The route wasn’t what fascinated me. It was the process. I was still thinking in terms of Google searches, websites, and piecing information together myself. He was thinking in terms of a conversation. That difference stopped me in my tracks. Up until that moment, I had no idea AI could be used that way. That simple moment changed the way I looked at AI. It wasn’t about replacing human thinking. It was about turbocharging it.
As my son headed toward Montana, I headed into something completely different. I wasn’t chasing mountain passes—I was beginning my own journey into AI.
Catch up with my AI Journey:
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