Don’t Opt Out of AI

A recent study by American Management Association revealed that 58% of professionals feel "behind" in their AI adoption journey.

My joke? The other 42 % are liars—or oblivious. With the pace of change in this space, the only reasonable feeling is to feel behind. That's OK!

You probably know me as "the Beyond the Prompt guy," frequently posting about AI strategies and workflows. I'm the one telling you to take your job before someone else does, to stop measuring usage and start measuring impact, to think of AI as a teammate rather than technology.

But here's what you might not know about me: I struggle with this stuff too.

The Camaraderie Question

Just last night, I was texting with two former podcast guests—Brice Challamel (Head of AI at Moderna) and Eric Porres (Head of AI at Logitech). I found myself referencing Brice's now-famous admonition: "Don't be Fred, use AI." It's a story from Moderna, where CEO Stéphane Bancel had a former boss named Fred who exhibited anachronistic behavior—printing emails, writing responses by hand, and having his assistant type them as replies. Stéphane remarked that he doesn't want to be "Fred" in the face of AI.

The irony? I realized I had just sent these guys a question I could have easily asked AI. I acknowledged that itself was a Fred-like behavior. "…I did ask AI too," I told them, "but I was curious for your feedback—and honestly, I enjoy the camaraderie."

That's when it hit me. This longing for human connection is something I deeply feel. I wonder: could this very human need actually inhibit my ability to perform well in the age of AI? And do I even want to excel in an era where camaraderie becomes unnecessary?

I strive to be AI-powered (even AI-superpowered), yet there are times when relying solely on AI feels insufficient, or just plain unfulfilling. I still find myself asking people things I could ask AI—not because I don't think of asking AI, but because there's something about the human connection that comes from the question.

This is my own internal conflict. And I suspect I'm not alone.

The Thompson Approach

This week on Beyond the Prompt, we're releasing a fascinating conversation with Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic. While we covered plenty of ground about leveraging AI and deploying it within organizations, what struck me most was Thompson's approach to his own reservations.

As a journalist and the leader of a major publishing company, Thompson has legitimate concerns about AI. But here's the crucial distinction: his hesitations come AFTER deep exploration, not before.

Thompson hasn't opted out. He's opted IN—specifically to have an informed basis of experience from which to draw conclusions and guide his organization.

He shared three distinct experiences with AI:

1. Using AI while writing his forthcoming book

2. Leveraging AI to track his marathons and formulate training strategies

3. Creating personalized stories for his children with AI assistance

These aren't superficial interactions. They represent deep, meaningful engagement across professional, personal, and family contexts. This depth legitimizes his concerns and hesitations in a way that theoretical objections never could.

The Experience Gap

This is where most "conscientious objectors" to AI go wrong. Their objections aren't conscientious at all—they're hypothetical. Theoretical. Uninformed by actual experience.

You wouldn't form strong medical opinions without consulting a doctor, yet you're forming AI opinions without consulting AI. If you're avoiding AI because of what you've heard, that's like avoiding New York because you watched Godzilla.

Need a real-world bill for opting out? Ask Blockbuster.

Now, a brutally honest gut check:

• When's the last time you asked if AI could do something, only to find it couldn't?

• Be honest: did you feel disappointed—or vindicated?

Vindication is a flashing neon sign that you want AI to fail, so I'm not surprised if you've opted out—you never really opted in. For the disappointed crowd, another question: What did you do with that disappointment? Did you engage more deeply, or give up? Did you coach the AI where it could improve? My observation: most beginners are far more dismissive of AI than they would be of an underperforming new teammate (see Teammate, Not Technology), who would certainly warrant coaching and mentorship before dismissal!

Opting out doesn't protect you from anything except understanding. It creates a self-reinforcing knowledge gap that grows wider with each passing week. The less you engage, the less qualified you become to decide whether or not to engage.

And here's the real cost: when you opt out based on theoretical concerns, you forfeit the opportunity to develop informed, nuanced perspectives that could actually shape how this technology evolves.

An Unexpected Solution: Start With Play

Play is humanity's hard-coded solution to risk management. It's how we learn new skills in low-stakes environments, how we explore dangerous territories safely, how we develop competence before consequences matter.

Try this 5-Minute AI Icebreaker—just copy-paste the following prompt into your LLM of choice:

“Interview me like an upbeat AI concierge. Ask up to five quick questions to sniff out a hobby or personal itch. Then pitch me 3–5 playful, under-15-minute ways I could tinker with AI.”

Set a timer. No career stakes, all curiosity. Build that experiential foundation before you decide whether AI belongs in your life and work.

An Invitation

If you're among the 58% feeling behind—or even if you're in the 42 % who think they're not—I'd love to hear your honest concerns, hesitations, and questions.

Run the icebreaker first, then hit reply to this email with what surprised you, frustrated you, or still worries you. You'll have a richer, more informed perspective to share.

Because while opting out might feel safer, it's actually the riskiest choice of all.

Related: Take Your Own Job
Related: Teammate, Not Technology
Related: Beyond the Prompt: Nicholas Thompson on AI in Journalism
Related: Beyond the Prompt: Brice Challamel
Related: Beyond the Prompt: Eric Porres
Related: Stop Measuring AI Usage (Start Measuring AI Impact)

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