Bojack of All Trades, or Horse-manure Unicorn

In the era of generative AI, it's easy to get caught up in the hype. Every other developer claims to be a master of all trades, harnessing the power of AI to build anything and everything. But how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? How do you distinguish between the miniature horses from the donkeys?

The Stable Genius

AI reflects the character of those who wield it. If you didn't take full advantage of the tools available before, why should investors or stakeholders believe you'll suddenly harness the power of AI? The truth is, AI amplifies existing strengths and weaknesses. If you lacked discipline before, AI won't magically grant it to you. If you didn't have a clear vision, AI won't create one for you. And if you didn't have the drive to ship quality products, AI won't make you more productive.

Corralling the Hype

So, how can you spot the difference between the hype and the real deal? Look for:

• Track record: A history of shipping quality products, built and launched before AI
• Curiosity: A willingness to learn and adapt, staying ahead of the curve
• Discipline: A consistent approach to building and iterating, without getting distracted by shiny new tools
• Vision: A clear understanding of what they're building and why, beyond just "using AI"
• Drive: A relentless focus on delivering results, rather than just promising them

Manure or Mastery?

We live in a world where anyone can claim to be an AI master especially on LinkedIn where anyone can be anything, so it's crucial to rein in the pretenders.

Look for the developers, builders, leaders who have a proven track record, possess a rare combination of curiosity, discipline, vision, and drive, and are using AI to amplify their existing strengths. They're the ones who will truly harness the power of AI to build something amazing. When people build with AI there is an audit trail, it's really easy for someone to show you receipts without giving away what makes them a stallion.

Bonus Reading

Claude Sonnet generated slidedeck on fraudsters who stole from the rich claiming they done the impossible, and people didn't do their due diligence because of FOMO and sitting on too much cash. Claude doesn't currently allow generating images of people but does offer auto publishing of artifacts.