Certainty is an Illusion
Why I'm an AI Optimist (and Not Overwhelmed by the Tsunami of Change)
People often ask me why I’m so optimistic about AI—why I’m excited, not anxious, even as it feels like everything is shifting around us. Here’s why: because life has taught me that certainty is an illusion. It’s something we cling to because we crave stability. But real life? It’s messy, unpredictable, and often shaped by moments that come without warning.
I’ve had more than a few of those moments:
At 28, I had just sold my first company. Life felt under control. Then, with one phone call, everything changed—my father was killed in a violent robbery, and my mother barely survived. Certainty shattered.
In my 30s, a genetic test had once “guaranteed” I wouldn’t inherit a disabling condition. Yet symptoms emerged, and I was diagnosed. The tests were wrong. Another illusion dissolved.
The last time I saw my mother, I didn’t hug her. I thought there’d be more time. There wasn’t.
These aren’t just stories—they’re reminders that uncertainty is the norm.
So when I look at AI and the rapid transformation unfolding, I don’t feel fear. I feel presence. I root myself in the moment. I approach it with curiosity, optimism, and a deep understanding that all of this—like life—is unpredictable. And when things are uncertain, we get to choose: do we retreat… or do we create?
AI is just another wave. We can ride it with intention, treating each moment as a chance to sculpt tomorrow, not hide from it.