Why you still need to learn, even though AI can do it all

There's a thought creeping into many people's minds right now:

Why spend time learning something when AI can do it for me?

Why learn to write good sales copy when Claude can do it in ten seconds? Why understand a set of accounts when ChatGPT can summarise them?

I can see the appeal. But I think it's dangerous. Let me explain why with my own story.

I've never stopped learning to write

I've been writing for myself and for clients for over 25 years. All along, I've had the same goal: to get better.

And I must admit that I can't help myself when it comes to books on writing. As soon as a book is about writing, I buy it. The same goes for courses. I've been buying them regularly, year after year.

Not because I couldn't write, but because I could sense that there was always another level to reach.

I can't single out one book that changed everything. It's the cumulative effect that has made the difference: a little from each, layer upon layer.

The most important thing I've gained from it isn't rules. It's the ability to tell the difference between good and bad. I know why a text works, or why it doesn't. I can tell when a sentence is too long, and when the reader loses interest.

I use that ability every single day when I work with AI.

AI can write. But can you tell if it's any good?

Ask Claude for a piece of text, and you'll get something that looks fine. It's correct, well-structured and confident.

But a text that looks fine doesn't necessarily work.

If you haven't learnt for yourself what makes a text good, you won't be able to tell the difference. So you'll just take the first draft and hit 'send'.

The same applies to accounts, contracts, marketing and code. AI makes it easy to produce something that looks professional. That's why it's up to you to decide whether it's actually any good.

Learning happens in the friction

When you're learning something difficult, it's a struggle. You get stuck, you make mistakes, and you start again. It's not a waste of time. That's where the learning happens.

AI can remove all that friction, so you jump straight to the answer. That's fine when you already know the material. But if you've never struggled with it, you'll only get the result and not the understanding.

So ask yourself: am I using AI to avoid having to learn? Or am I using it to learn faster?

What you gain when you learn

When I look back at all those courses and books, it's not just better writing I've gained.

You grow bolder. Every time you've learnt something new, you find it easier to say yes to the next task – even the one that's a little outside your comfort zone.

Learning spills over. What you learn in one area helps you in another. I've noticed this clearly: because I've spent years writing clearly, I also write better prompts. My writing has made me better at using AI.

You can pass it on. I use what I learn myself. But I can also pass it on to clients, course participants and readers like you. Knowledge is one of the few things you don't lose by sharing. And when you share it, you meet new people who teach you something in return.

It keeps paying off. Sandeep Swadia, a former investment banker and CEO, puts it well: the best skills don't pay you just once, but time and time again.

And it's fun, too. No machine can take away the joy of being able to do something you couldn't do yesterday.

My AI journey has only just begun

When ChatGPT launched in late 2022, I had the same feeling I've always had about writing: I want to get good at this.

Since then, I've taught myself about AI and passed that knowledge on to others. The latter has taught me the most, because when you have to explain something, you quickly realise what you don't understand yourself.

But I'm far from finished. Much of what I knew two years ago is already out of date. What lasts isn't the specific knowledge itself. It's the habit of keeping on learning.

Three questions for you

Take five minutes this week to answer these:

1. Which gap in my knowledge is costing me the most right now?
2. Where am I using AI to skip the learning process when I should be learning it myself?
3. What do I want to invest in over the next six months, in terms of time and money?

You don't need to buy ten courses. One book, one course or one hour a week is enough to get started.

AI is the best learning tool we've ever had. But only if you use it to learn.

See you next week.