Will AI destroy my business?
If you are a creative professional, a writer, an artist, even a consultant or programmer, a reflex action is to distrust AI.
But it’s here. And it’s affecting the way we generate and produce everything.
So what will it do to our businesses?
A model that seems likely to repeat itself is what happened with commerce on the Internet.
Once upon a time you went to a showroom and a salesperson helped you choose a car. If you liked a salesperson you might be swayed towards one model rather than another.
Now that world has disappeared. You know what car you want, you’ve compared it to all the others, and you even know which location has it at the best price – and you just need to click and reserve it.
The world where you paid a bit more for a bit better service disappeared.
It’s the disappearing middle phenomenon, where the stuff that’s “ok”, that’s so so disappears, and you’re left with two extreme business models.
At one end is a low-cost, self-serve model. It doesn’t matter how much use you make of AI as long as you create something of value.
Free YouTube videos, low cost books, cheap courses. Products that people can access and use – but that you’ll need volume to profit from.
At the other end is complex stuff that requires judgement, accuracy, verification and trust. Work that needs people in the loop.
But clients won’t pay for time and money. They’ll pay for outputs and value.
This model was visible around ten years ago, and consultants who shifted to fixed price work rather than hourly rates saw it coming. AI just accelerates the shift.
I’m seeing terms that show these extraction mechanisms as as DIY, DWY and DFY – do it yourself, done with you, and done for you.
In a nutshell – no AI won’t destroy your business, but your business model will have to change, especially if it’s based on hourly billing, to stay competitive.
Handcrafted insight 