How I'm Seeing AI Reshaping Work
The Weekend Windup #3 - Cool Reads, Events, and More
In tech circles, AI feels obvious and pedestrian. I can’t think of many developers who aren't using AI code editors or CLIs. We’re fawning over the latest models, and I think most of my friends have a great handle on how to use or experiment with AI in their work. But outside the bubble, it’s quietly revolutionizing how people work.
The cool thing is seeing how non-technical people are using AI.
I was at my climbing gym the other day, chatting with the head routesetter (they put the holds on the climbing walls). He’s not technical, but he showed me a very cool climbing competition timer he created with ChatGPT in a couple of minutes. I was impressed, and so was he. It was a genuinely helpful app that he could immediately use.
Later that day, I was chatting with a friend who runs a small business, and he and his employees are using AI to streamline a ton of workflows and automate redundant work. None of them is technical. But they know their domain well enough that they can frame the question for AI to help them solve, and they know what a good solution looks like. I showed them how to connect various apps to ChatGPT. They got excited about these new superpowers, feeling like they were unlocking a whole new world.
I’m seeing similar stories playing out everywhere I go. AI is reshaping the way people work. Some people are still on the fence, saying “it sucks and hallucinates.” Most of these people tried ChatGPT 3, a couple of years ago. Of course it sucked then. But it’s improved a lot. To them, I’d say keep an open mind and try it out. It reminds me of the late ’90s, when people thought texting was pointless or cell phones were a fad. People had similar thoughts about the Internet. Now imagine saying that today. AI reluctance feels very similar.
Here’s another part that often gets overlooked - a lot of AI right now is artificially cheap.
Subsidies, venture capital, or aggressive pricing strategies are offsetting the cost of running these systems. That means you’re getting access to an unprecedented level of capability for a fraction of what it actually costs to deliver. Cheap AI won’t last forever. The economics will change. The pricing will normalize. But right now, the door is wide open.
Now is the time to jump in.
Not tomorrow. Not “when it matures.” Now.
Rework your workflows.
Test ideas you thought were impossible.
Let AI generate a prototype, then refine it.
Use it to draft, automate, or accelerate whatever you’re already doing.
Again, if a person can create a useful app in a couple of minutes, what does this say about the potential sitting in front of us? The tools are here, and the costs are low (for now). The workflows are flexible enough to experiment.
The only real barrier left isn’t the tech, but whether you’re willing to try. What’s stopping you from jumping in?
Also, hopefully finishing the draft Part 2 of How Organizations Shape Your Data Model this weekend, with the aim to publish the entire chapter sometime next week. For the book, I’m aiming to have the manuscript done in the next few weeks, with Book 1 (focused on the Fundamentals of Data Modeling) targeted for publication in late January 2026. Will keep you posted when pre-orders are available.
For now, have a fun weekend,
Joe
Awesome Upcoming Events
Big Data London is coming up. If you don’t know about BDL, it’s a homecoming across the pond for the data industry. This will be my third year keynoting BDL, and I’m very excited to catch up with friends, new and old alike. If you’re there, let’s catch up.
On Wednesday, Sept 24 in the afternoon, I’ll be giving my keynote and doing a panel right after.
Then…I’ll be DJing this party:
Small Data, Big Party. London, we’ve arrived. 🇬🇧
On September 24th, escape the Big Data London madness and join us at Kindred for an evening of connection, conversation, and a few surprises only MotherDuck could dream up, partnering with our friends at:
Dagster
Airbyte
Secoda
Tasman
Keboola
LEIT DATA
Xebia
Think of it as a toast to small data done right, with big-time energy - and to opening the doors to our friends, old and new, across the pond. We’ll have delicious bites, flowing drinks, treats for your beak, flocking-fun games, and a chance to shake your tail feathers.
Bonus - Special DJ set from yours truly 🎧
Space is limited. RSVP to claim your spot and get ready to let your feathers fly!
Montenegro! See you soon
INFINTECH is a regional event that connects decision makers from banks, fintechs, regulators, IT companies and other connected industries from the Balkan region and beyond.
DSC DACH 25 will take place at the Savoyen Vienna Hotel from October 14th to 16th in Vienna, Austria!
For anyone passionate about data science and artificial intelligence, this conference is an amazing opportunity to experience more than 80 hours of top-tier content and gain insights from over 100 of the industry's brightest minds.
DSC DACH will feature a wide range of 30+ topics, including Generative AI, NLP & LLM, Data Platforms, AI Agents, Responsible AI, and many more!
With over 500 attendees, this event offers an unmatched opportunity to learn, connect, and collaborate on innovative solutions for a brighter, more sustainable future!
But wait, there’s more!
My other upcoming events are posted here.
Cool Reads
Here are some things I read this week that you might enjoy.
AI Will Not Make You Rich
Want to make a quick buck from the AI boom? Not so fast. And you're probably too late. According to Jerry Neumann's article, "AI Will Not Make You Rich," today’s AI is unlikely to create the same widespread wealth for investors as previous tech revolutions like the microprocessor. Neumann argues that AI is more analogous to the advent of shipping containerization, a transformative technology whose value was spread so thinly that few became rich from it, rather than the PC revolution, which spawned a host of new, highly profitable companies. He posits that intense competition will lead to the benefits of AI accruing to customers and established businesses that leverage the technology, not the AI model builders themselves. Therefore, the real financial opportunities lie not with the AI creators, but with the downstream businesses in sectors like professional services, healthcare, and education that can use AI to boost efficiency and create new markets, ultimately passing the value on to consumers through better and cheaper services.
The Only Skill That Matters Now
“Here's the brutal, uncomfortable, urgently true thing…
(deep breath)
If your company isn't giving you the tools to learn to skate like Claude Code or Amp subscriptions, API credits, time to experiment with AI coding, and so on, you're not actually employed. You're in hospice. They're just keeping you comfortable while you become obsolete.
You won't be replaced by AI. That's the wrong fear. You'll be replaced by someone who learned to skate when you were still arguing about whether the ice is real.
It’s important to find a company that gets it. That throws money at making you faster. That understands we're not playing hockey anymore (we're playing something new, where the rules change mid-game and the only constant is acceleration).
Or don't. Stand there in your street shoes, explaining to everyone how you've been coding for twenty years and these kids with their AI tools don't understand real programming.
The puck doesn't care about your experience. It's already zipped by you while you were reading this sentence.”
More reads worth checking out
The Case Against Social Media is Stronger Than You Think - Arachne
Writing effective tools for AI agents—using AI agents - Anthropic
Navigating the vast world of data stores: A comprehensive guide - Sanjeev Mohan
Sierra CEO Bret Taylor on why the AI bubble feels like the dotcom boom - The Verge
Stop AI-Shaming Our Precious, Kindly Em Dashes—Please - The Ringer
"Bubble lessons" for the AI era... - by Henry Blodget
The Most Popular Python Frameworks and Libraries in 2025 - The PyCharm Blog
How Anthropic Built a Multi-Agent Research System - ByteByteGo
Are we in an AI-driven bubble? - Only CFO
There's a weasel in every AI: chatbots secretly chase hidden agendas - CyberNews
Find My Other Content Here
📺 YouTube - Interviews, tutorials, product reviews, rants, and more.
🎙️ Podcasts - Listen on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts
📝 Practical Data Modeling - This is where I’m writing my upcoming book, Mixed Model Arts, mostly in public. Free and paid content.
Closing Question
How are you using AI in your work? Drop a note in the comments.
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How are you using AI in your work? Drop a note in the comments. a) I use Perplexity PRO to do big picture research like "find all of the competitors for company xyz and tell me how their products overlap". b) I use Claude to build graphics: "make a graphic that shows the supply chain of company xyz. Use React.". c) I use Replit + ChatGPT to build the apps I need, but my firm would never build or I would have to wait so long for the app to get into production. I use my own thing (I won't shill) to look up historical facts, figures, financials, dates, and times of events that are impossible to do with our current vendor stack. I hope that helps Joe. All my best, Drew.
Great post Joe. I work in an industry that is a classic
late adopter. Some insiders think that AI is a massive change to the status quo only they don’t know how to get started so MSFT co-pilot is an expression of “doing something”. Others think it’s a nothing burger.