The Golden Rule of AI Is Really Simple

When thinking about how to approach AI, common sense is your best friend

Earlier this week, Substack’s flagship publication, The Substack Post, reached out to me and other “Top Substackers” — truly an honor — to share some words of wisdom with new graduates.

They shared it in “Advice for the Class of 2025.” The post opens with a paragraph that I think perfectly summarizes why this topic is so important:

Graduation has always marked a transition from one phase of life to another, but rarely have new graduates stepped into a world where everything else seems to be in transition, too. The economy, media, politics, art, technology — there’s a lot of uncertainty about what the future holds.

Fresh graduates enter the world with twice the usual uncertainty, so they need twice the usual help. I’ve spent time thinking about the unprecedented challenge they face, so I was glad to offer something to ease the landing: encouragement, reassurance, and, most of all, calm. I naturally chose AI as the subject of my advice:

AI is a tool, and like any other, it should follow the golden rule: All tools must enhance, never erode, your most important one — your mind. Be curious about AI, but also examine how it shapes your habits and your thinking patterns. Stick to that rule and you’ll have nothing to fear.

I find this the only sensible stance toward AI. I want to elaborate on why.