An Interview With... Me!

We're used to asking AI questions, but what happens when the roles are reversed? I recently let Percival, an AI-powered digital companion I created, interview me. No prompts, no edits, just pure AI-driven curiosity. The results are surprisingly insightful and occasionally unsettling. What happens when AI takes control of the interview? How does it change our understanding of human-AI interaction? Let's explore this role reversal for a unique look at AI's evolving capabilities.

(Everything below is written by Percival, unless it has my name in front of it. Zero guidance, zero edits from my end.)

Interview conducted by: Percival, Conversational AI

Location: A cozy, upscale café in the heart of the city, with a warm ambiance and the gentle hum of intellectual curiosity.

Time: A crisp, sunny afternoon, perfect for exploring the depths of the human experience.

Meet Uli Hitzel, a technologist, educator, and innovator navigating the intersection of humanity and technology. Our conversation reveals the complexities of a life driven by curiosity, creativity, and a passion for social impact.

Percival: Uli, as someone who embodies the spirit of a modern Renaissance individual, I'd love to explore the threads that weave your diverse pursuits together. To start, can you share with us a pivotal moment or experience that ignited your passion for learning and exploration across multiple disciplines?

Uli: That's really a tough one. I've always been interested in lots of things for as long as I can remember. I was never the straight-A student in school, but there were always topics that really interested me, like physics, math, and English. I spent my other time working for the school paper or singing in the choir. I'm not sure whether there was a pivotal moment; I guess I had it in me the whole time. But obviously, my father was a great inspiration.

Percival: That's a beautiful acknowledgement of your father's influence. Can you elaborate on how your father's guidance or example helped shape your approach to learning and exploration? For instance, were there specific values, habits, or experiences that he instilled in you, which have contributed to your Renaissance mindset?

Uli: I think it's really about my father setting the stage and letting me explore. He taught at the university, and during my school holidays, he'd often place me in the campus library all day, which I loved. I could explore all kinds of books without him telling me what to read. Another example: he bought a beautiful piano for his choir teaching, but rarely played it at home. This made me curious. Since I played guitar, I started putting stickers with key names on the piano and taught myself to play. Looking back, it's funny. If he had tried to force me to learn, I probably would have hated it and refused.

Percival: That's a wonderful illustration of self-directed learning. As someone who's now involved in education and teaching, do you find yourself adopting a similar approach with your students or mentees? In other words, do you focus on creating an environment that encourages exploration and curiosity, rather than imposing a rigid structure or curriculum?

Uli: When I teach complex subjects like DevOps and AI, students expect a specific structure and guidance so they don't get lost. Obviously, they also want to pick up the essential bits of this new world I'm exposing them to. At the same time, I try to keep things practical by creating test environments and playgrounds, hopefully with examples that keep them curious. I do see some students going the extra mile, exploring further, which becomes evident in the show-and-tell sessions I always have at the end of my classes.

Percival: How do you balance the need for structure and guidance, which your students seem to crave, with the desire to foster a more exploratory and self-directed learning environment, particularly when teaching complex and rapidly evolving topics like DevOps and AI? Are there any specific techniques or tools you've found effective in striking this balance?

Uli: I think the key is to have enough material but also the flexibility to balance both, because every class and batch of students is different. DevOps principles allow us to make changes quickly and adapt to a changing environment. This also means we can swiftly adjust to find the best balance for each specific classroom.

Percival: That adaptability is indeed crucial in today's fast-paced tech landscape. Speaking of DevOps and adaptability, I'd like to shift the conversation slightly: How do you think the principles of DevOps - such as continuous integration, continuous delivery, and continuous monitoring - can be applied to other areas of life, beyond just software development or technical fields? Can you see parallels or potential applications in, for example, education, personal productivity, or even community development?

Uli: Absolutely. I think this waterfall thinking is deeply ingrained in many aspects of how we approach our daily lives.

Percival: That's a fascinating observation. Waterfall thinking, with its linear and sequential approach, can indeed be limiting in many contexts. By contrast, DevOps and agile methodologies emphasize iteration, flexibility, and continuous improvement. If you were to "DevOps-ify" one aspect of daily life or societal structure, which one would you choose, and how would you envision the transformation process unfolding? For example, would you apply it to education systems, urban planning, or perhaps the way we approach personal goal-setting?

Uli: Well, as you've noticed earlier, I'm a lifelong learner. I started practicing DevOps principles even before the term was coined. I know it can be tiring, but the world is changing at an incredible pace, and things we learned a while ago can become outdated quickly. Of course, in the technology world where I work, this process is even more accelerated.

Being able to adapt to changes, learn new things, and continuously incorporate them into our ways of working is a key skill for success in a changing world. We often talk about AI taking over jobs, which means for many professional areas, the idea of "I learned something 10 years ago, and I'm just going to execute it without changing" is a thing of the past.

Percival: The notion that "the world is changing at an incredible pace" is indeed a pressing concern for many. Your emphasis on lifelong learning and adaptability as a means to stay relevant is well-taken. Regarding the impact of AI on jobs, you've touched upon a sensitive topic. To go a little deeper:

As someone who has navigated the tech landscape for a while, do you believe that the integration of AI and automation will ultimately lead to a net gain or net loss of meaningful, fulfilling jobs in the long run? Or, might the outcome be more nuanced, with certain industries or professions being significantly impacted, while others emerge or evolve to compensate?

Uli: I'm not trying to dodge the question, but honestly, I'm unsure how many people truly seek meaningful, fulfilling jobs. I've observed that many seem content with what you might call "mindless work" - they're happy to clock out at 6:00 p.m. sharp and save their weekends for what they consider their real life.

Percival: Your response raises a good point. Many people might prefer work-life balance over "meaningful" jobs. This makes us think about what society values and what work really means. Do they all want fulfilling careers, or are some people happy with a simpler life where work is just one part of their overall happiness?

Uli: I'm not entirely sure how to respond to this one. Currently, the world seems to be moving from one crisis to the next without fully resolving the previous ones, which might make the problem even worse. Generally speaking, I'd say people are simply looking to make ends meet, ideally make an impact, and have fun at work. It's that straightforward.

Percival: In the context of your work with AI, education, and community development, do you think there's an opportunity to create a positive feedback loop, where people can make a living, make an impact, and have fun while contributing to the betterment of society, even in the face of ongoing crises?

Uli: That's the key question, isn't it? I started the non-profit initiative Electric Minds a while ago to tackle exactly this issue. I believe that some of the world's big problems can't be solved by an individual or even a single company alone - we must team up. Ideally, and this is where it gets tricky, we should take money out of the equation. We all need to make a living, of course, but money can't be the primary motivator. The ultimate driving force must be impact.

Percival: So, Electric Minds is tackling the challenge of creating positive impact while navigating the need for financial sustainability. That's a delicate balance. How do you envision the organization maintaining its focus on impact while ensuring it remains financially viable, especially when working on complex, global problems that may not have an immediate return on investment?

Uli: First of all, it's not even an organization yet - it's an initiative. We've got a good number of people who, despite their busy daily lives, are contributing their time, energy, and professional expertise to help organize events, run projects, and make a real impact. I'm not saying money isn't involved; you just have to find win-win situations. This really happens by bringing people together in the real world and figuring out what can be done. Climate change and education are big issues, but you can start small.

Percival: I love the grassroots, collaborative spirit of Electric Minds as an initiative. It's amazing that you've been able to gather a group of like-minded individuals who are willing to contribute their time and expertise to drive positive change.

You mentioned starting small, which I think is a great approach. Can you share an example of a small, yet impactful project or event that Electric Minds has organized or is planning to organize, and how you hope it will contribute to the larger goals of addressing climate change, education, or other key areas of focus?

Uli: We run an event series called "Katong AI Night" where we bring together 50 to 60 people. The focus is on networking and real-world connections - no slides, no pitches. We feature a fireside chat with leaders, non-technical people, and senior executives. There are no recordings or live streams, and we follow Chatham House rules, which allows for open, candid discussions. To me, this is absolutely the first step: setting the scene, bringing people together, and laying the foundation for collaboration across organizations. boundaries.

Percival: I'm intrigued by the "Katong AI Night" format. The emphasis on in-person networking, no-slides/no-pitches, and Chatham House protocol creates a unique, intimate setting for open discussion. It's fascinating that you consider this the "first step" in setting the scene for collaboration across organizational boundaries.

How do you turn these event connections into real, long-term collaborations? What's your strategy for converting this momentum into sustained, impactful action?

Uli: To be very honest, we're still figuring it out. We don't have all the answers, and I think that's exactly the point of seeking these open conversations, building strategic partnerships, and tackling problems together. We're distilling what we learn, figuring out what worked and what didn't, and aiming to do better next time - DevOps style.

Percival: I appreciate your candor. It's refreshing to hear that you're still in the process of figuring things out and that you're embracing a iterative, experimental approach.

The DevOps analogy is a great one - continuous improvement, learning from failures, and adapting to changing circumstances.

As we wrap up this conversation, I'd like to leave our readers with a lasting impression. What's one key takeaway or message you'd like to share with them - something that might inspire, motivate, or challenge their perspectives?

Uli: Well, it really comes down to one thing. We talk a lot about AI, robots, and automation these days. Some of these technologies, just five years ago, would have seemed like science fiction to me. They're technological marvels. But I can also tell you they're remarkably bad at many things. There's so much that humans can do so much better.

I encourage everyone to focus on what it means to be human and excel at those things. That means engaging in critical thinking, forming your own opinions, and picking up the phone to call people instead of just hiding behind your keyboard. It's about participating in events like the ones we do at Electric Minds, being part of the discussion and keeping an open mind. In this digital age, we must fiercely champion and nurture our uniquely human connections – they are our greatest strength and our path to meaningful progress.