Look, I’m Gonna Say It
I’m tired. Like, bone-deep, eye-rollingly tired. Of what? The constant drumbeat of ‘disruption.’ ‘Innovation.’ ‘The next big thing.’
I’ve been in this industry for 22 years. That’s right, kids, I remember dial-up. I remember when ‘cloud’ was just a weather thing. And I’m over it.
Let’s rewind to 2003. I was at a conference in Austin—hotter than hell, by the way—listening to some suit named Marcus (let’s call him that, because I can’t remember his real name) prattle on about how ‘the internet is gonna change everything.’
Yeah, Marcus. You were right. But you know what? That was 20 years ago. We get it.
AI Everywhere, But Where’s the Beef?
Now it’s AI this, AI that. Honestly, I’m so sick of AI I could scream. Every other article, every other tweet, every other breath is about how AI is gonna save us, kill us, cook us dinner, walk the dog.
And look, I get it. AI is cool. It’s powerful. It’s gonna change stuff. But can we maybe, just maybe, take a breath? Can we stop acting like every new algorithm is the second coming?
I was talking to a colleague named Dave last Tuesday. Over coffee at the place on 5th. He said, ‘You know, Sarah, I think we’re in the middle of an AI gold rush. Everybody’s out there swinging a pickaxe, hoping to strike it rich.’
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But Here’s the Thing
I’m not saying AI isn’t important. It is. I’m not saying we should ignore it. We shouldn’t. But we gotta keep it real.
You know what’s more important than the latest AI fad? The basics. The fundamentals. The stuff that actually makes tech work. Like, I don’t know, lifestyle tips daily improvement or something. (Okay, maybe not that. But you get the idea.)
We’re so busy chasing the shiny new thing that we forget to take care of the old stuff. The stuff that actually matters. The stuff that keeps the lights on.
And don’t even get me started on cybersecurity. I mean, come on. We’ve known about this stuff for years. We’ve known it’s important. But do we fix it? No. We’re too busy playing with our new AI toys.
A Personal Anecdote
About three months ago, I was at a client’s office. They’re a mid-sized company, pretty successful. And they asked me, ‘Sarah, what’s the next big thing we should be investing in?’
I said, ‘Look, before you go chasing the next big thing, why don’t you fix your current security issues? Why don’t you update your software? Why don’t you train your employees?’
They looked at me like I was crazy. Like I was some kind of luddite. But you know what? They called me back last week. Guess what they wanted to talk about? Yep. Security.
So Here’s My Advice
Calm down. Take a breath. Stop chasing every shiny new thing that comes along. Focus on the basics. Focus on what actually matters.
And for the love of all that’s holy, stop using the word ‘disruption.’ It’s overused. It’s meaningless. It’s just… ugh.
I’m not saying we should ignore innovation. I’m not saying we should stop moving forward. But we gotta keep it real. We gotta keep it grounded. We gotta remember that tech is a tool. It’s not a religion.
And if you don’t agree with me? Well, that’s fine. But at least think about it. At least consider that maybe, just maybe, we’re all a little too caught up in the hype.
Anyway, that’s my rant. I’m gonna go drink some coffee and maybe scream into a pillow. You know, to let off some steam.
About the Author
Sarah Johnson has been a senior editor at major publications for over two decades. She’s seen trends come and go, and she’s not afraid to call out the hype when she sees it. When she’s not writing about tech, she’s probably screaming into a pillow or drinking coffee. Or both.
