AI tech vs 2-player mode

AI is the hot thing.

And people are worrying about what it’ll do to their jobs.

But we were all playing with it in the 90s.

For instance, Super Mario Kart launched on the SNES 1992–1993, and:

  • In 1-player, you weren’t the only kart on the track
  • Other racers were entirely computer-controlled
  • We could choose how difficult those racers would be

But Mario Kart didn’t make a name for itself because of a great 1-player mode.

It made a name for itself thanks to its great 2-player mode.

And when Mario Kart 64 launched in 1996 with 4-player mode, its reputation exploded further.

The computer was fun to play against… but playing with other humans hits different.

Businesses have been forgetting this for years:

  • The last decade saw entrepreneurs trying to automate their work with web apps and foreign labour
  • The next decade will see entrepreneurs trying to automate their work with AI
  • In both cases, they forget that humans are a feature, not a bug

But.

Only if the human is great.

The best investment in your work may not be to AI-ify everything.

The best investment in your work may be to simply master your craft, respond to emails promptly, smile when you talk, and show that you truly care.

It has yet to go out of style.