AI is poised to take over the uphill grind—the relentless tasks that demand effort but lack nuance—leaving humans to master the skills machines can’t replicate. This essay explores how embracing downhill skills like judgment, observation, and taste allows us to navigate life’s terrain differently and thrive in a world increasingly shaped by automation.

Moving to Italy disconnected me from familiar comforts but led me to discover my personal VPN—a “Virtue & Perspective Network” that grants access to inner virtues and new perspectives when I’m present and mindful. This journey has given me gumption with judgment and taste—qualities I believe will be central to human-centered design in the next 20 years.

In a world dominated by constant updates and disposable technology, there’s an absence of lasting value and personal connection in digital goods compared to physical objects that accumulate character over time. What are the new markers of quality, durability, and longevity?

If tradition no longer fits in today’s fast-paced world—where behavior and values change at unprecedented speeds—are we sacrificing meaning and depth in exchange for speed and convenience?

During a visit to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, I saw the hidden machine, Argano, which once moved heavy materials to build the awe-inspiring structure. This made me reflect on AI today—are these complex systems truly easing our labor and extending our capabilities, or have we lost sight of their purpose?

Time isn’t absolute—it bends to how we spend it. In a world of distractions, we lose precious hours to shallow activities, leaving us anxious and unfulfilled; it’s time to reclaim every second for what truly matters.

In today’s world of AI and algorithms, where even your feeds and feelings are on autopilot, it’s more important than ever to take control and steer your attention toward what truly matters. Ready to grind some gears in your life or career?

Talk at Melbourne’s creative festival Neverpermanent: lessons from a creative disruption and self-reinvention journey

Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente. Lips sync in many languages.

Cousins Hector and Freddy first discovered their creative passion when playing with Mario Paint on the summer of ‘93. 30 years later the newfound accessibility of genAI helped them recapture the direct, childlike joy of digital creation from their youth.

What if you could shape your stories as easily as playing with building blocks? Imagine dragging, resizing, and rearranging elements just like you did in your childhood play pretend, while letting the LLMs handle the heavy lifting.

MyGPT, an innovative prototype that personalizes the digital experience. Unlike traditional search tools or social media, MyGPT incorporates user aspirations into its responses, offering customized content and tone.

My submission for the CODA AI contest shifts the focus from mere task completion to meaningful growth. Imagine life as a garden, and our AI, the devoted gardener, nurturing your everyday tasks into strategic steps towards your dream future. Just plug-in your daily tasks, pick your aspirations, and let AI do the rest.

Explore a thrilling journey from AI-induced fear to creative inspiration, as our protagonist grapples with the rapid advancement of AI, and eventually discovers the exciting possibilities it holds for their own work.

A solution for information overload during my morning runs. I developed a program that transforms screenshots of podcast timestamps into text transcriptions of that moment in the podcast. Now, intriguing moments are instantly saved and transformed into gateways for deeper exploration and easy sharing. Screenshots no longer hold mysteries but become valuable sources of knowledge.

Learn what’s easy and hard to achieve with LLMs while reading a short story about a young musician who defies a profit-driven tech executive by performing soulful music for his single audience member, a red rose. His authenticity eventually breaks the executive's power over the audience, highlighting the importance of art and aesthetics over utilitarianism.

A childhood conversation with a priest about the afterlife resurfaces amidst the rise of GenAI tools. The sight of a disco robot jumping on the sand encapsulates the exhilarating yet overwhelming journey of seeking knowledge in a rapidly evolving world.

A short story that explores the intersection of creativity, collective learning, and artificial intelligence. And sandwiches. Nom nom.

Generative AI serves as the turbo button for my vintage garage-built PCs, rekindling a potent cocktail of nostalgia, now laced with newfound freedom, agency, and boundless potential. Learn how to make a dope GenAI video in 9 steps.

Generative AI tools are wild and free. They echo the Home Depot's secluded corner where power tools hum in invitation. Just as one might dare to wield a chainsaw, we too can harness the raw, untamed potential of artificial intelligence. Power up, plunge in, and pioneer into the uncharted.