Why AI skeptics remind me of 13-year-olds

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The Saddest Thing About AI Skeptics

I have noticed a trend that’s bothering me more than normal lately.  

People actively rooting for AI to fail.

Cherry-picking studies about "AI doesn't make you more productive."

Sharing stories about someone getting banned from Google for bad AI content.

Acting like AI is a memecoin or some Ponzi scheme that's about to collapse.

Here's what makes me sad about this.

AI Has Actual Utility

Unlike most hype cycles, AI isn't just promise - it's performance.

I'm literally using AI to write this newsletter right now.

I've saved roughly $500,000 in salaries this year by using AI instead of hiring additional team members.

My coaching clients are delivering better results faster than ever before.

This isn't theoretical. It's happening.

The Adolescent Analogy

Judging AI today is like judging a 13-year-old for not making adult decisions.

Of course a teenager makes mistakes. They're 13.

Would you write off your kid's entire future because they did something dumb at 13?

The law doesn't even hold teenagers fully accountable at that age.

Yet people are ready to dismiss AI's entire potential because ChatGPT hallucinated something in 2023.

The Cherry-Picking Problem

"This study shows AI doesn't increase productivity!"

Yeah, because someone used it wrong.

"This person got penalized for AI content!"

Yeah, because they created garbage.

People misuse hammers too. Should we ban construction?

Every powerful tool gets misused by people who don't understand it.

That's not the tool's fault.

AI Isn't Going Anywhere

This isn't Web3 or NFTs or some flavor-of-the-month hype.

AI is infrastructure. It's the internet. It's electricity.

You can't uninvent it. You can't regulate it away. You can't wish it out of existence.

The only question is whether you'll adapt or get left behind.

The Evolution Is Accelerating

If your opinion of AI is based on ChatGPT from 2022, you're already years behind.

The improvement curve is exponential, not linear.

What couldn't work 18 months ago works perfectly today.

What's impossible today will be routine next year.

Standing still means falling behind.

The "Good Luck" Crowd

These are the same people who said:

"The internet is just a fad"
"Nobody will ever need email"
"Mobile phones are for rich people"
"Social media is for kids"

They'll adapt eventually. They always do.

But by then, the early movers will have built unassailable advantages.

Your Choice

You can spend time finding reasons why AI won't work.

Or you can spend time making it work for you.

One approach builds your future. The other protects your ego.

Choose wisely.

The Reality Check

While skeptics debate whether AI is "real," practitioners are:

• Automating entire workflows

• Delivering better client results

• Scaling operations without scaling headcount

• Building AI-native competitive advantages

The train isn't just leaving the station. It's already at the next city.

"Good luck with that" indeed.

To Your AI-Powered Future,
Jeff Sauer

P.S. What's the biggest AI breakthrough you've had recently? Hit reply and tell me - I love hearing success stories while others are still debating whether it's "real."

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