Guest Writer: Trudi Roth of Further.net
The following originally appeared in the Further newsletter, which I highly endorse and what remains one of few things I read each and every week. Do yourself a favor and subscribe.
Written by the outstanding Trudi Roth, this piece captures my own thinking about the future and purpose of writing better than I ever could. With her permission, I reprint it in its entirety here.
As someone who makes her living by writing, you might think I’m petrified that AI will decimate my career.
Honestly, machines don’t scare me. It’s the foolish humans who are okay with completely abdicating their ability to think, communicate, and solve problems that I find alarming.
Sure, AI can pump out emails, articles, and even full-on books for you, saving you time and effort, but there’s a significant trade-off. Learning becomes harder as your literacy fades, focus diminishes, and memory is weakened.
So, as we stand at the crossroads of machine-driven progress, don’t write off the benefit of penning your own work.
Stay Composed
First, let’s be clear about what AI is: it’s a tool. Using it to enhance and support your productivity and creativity is fine — after all, we saw firsthand the benefits of the personal computer revolution. (Hullo, Apple 1984... which continues to be the perfect metaphor for today’s digital landscape.)
But tools aren’t a replacement for your brain. The act of writing isn’t just about stringing together words — it’s about putting together your thoughts and making meaning.
Writing about something teaches you about what you know, what you don’t know, and how to think. Writing about something is one of the best ways to learn about it. Writing is not just a vehicle to share ideas with others but also a way to understand them better yourself.
Cranking out information isn’t a problem. The challenge is that it’s becoming harder for people to parse out the signal from the noise. By keeping your writing skills sharp, you’ll be an invaluable thinker who can deeply understand a problem and help others gain insight and clarity.
Don’t Forget to Write
Writing regularly, whether for business or pleasure (or both), has been shown to strengthen your ability to communicate complex ideas clearly. This involves both executive function and emotional IQ, enabling you to express your thoughts in well-organized, unique, and engaging ways.
If you really want to stimulate your brain, write by hand. Research shows it improves your memory as you age, helps you focus, and supports comprehension and retention of new information. Kick it up a notch by journaling, which acts as a mindfulness tool, reducing anxiety and stress and increasing your creativity, resilience, and ability to achieve your goals.
AI implies intelligence, but using it in place of your own brain isn’t a smart idea. So, go ahead and let robot-led tools help you craft your work, but do yourself a favor: never let them have the final word. It just ain’t write.
