Why AI Is Not Just a Trend but a New Era of Information Work

When a friend asked how long the current AI hype would last, the author compared the question to past fads like VR in 2016 and the metaverse in 2021, noting that those inquiries shared a skeptical "what if it's real?" tone.

He distinguishes between a "windfall" (风口) – a wave you must chase to capture short‑term benefits – and an "era," where the water level rises and you are already immersed regardless of whether you chase it. A windfall comes fast and fades fast; an era changes the underlying activity itself.

His personal breakthrough came when he used Claude Code to generate an Obsidian plugin that automatically tags notes. What previously required months of JavaScript learning was completed in about forty minutes, despite the author only becoming a full‑time programmer at age 45. This experience highlighted how AI can turn a complex development task into a simple, tool‑driven process.

Reflecting on this, he realized that the value of coding is not disappearing; rather, the ability to produce software is no longer limited to those who can write code. The shift mirrors the printing press revolution, where the barrier to creating books fell and information became widely accessible.

He points out that people who never chased past trends are now actively using AI: educators generating practice questions, e‑commerce sellers creating product descriptions, a hair‑dresser crafting hairstyle recommendations, and a small‑shop owner letting AI handle inventory orders. None of them chased a "windfall," yet they are leveraging AI because it changes the fundamental task of processing information, which underlies virtually every industry.

The author argues that the correct question is not "how long will AI last?" but "when will you start treating AI seriously?" The windfall mindset asks whether to get on a vehicle, when to get off, while the era mindset asks where to sit once you’re already on the moving platform.

He stresses that AI is beneficial for ordinary people, dismantling traditional skill barriers such as needing to learn programming to build software or mastering graphic design to create posters. The remaining core competencies become idea generation, judgment, aesthetic sense, and deep understanding of business and human needs – skills that trend‑chasers often lack.

Even when faced with potential layoffs, the author chose to focus on AI development, seeing it as a strategic pivot rather than a panic response.

His advice is simple: stop watching from the sidelines and apply AI to a familiar problem, even something modest like organizing daily notes or drafting weekly reports. By using AI, you will intuitively understand its power.

In conclusion, AI is not a fleeting hype wave to chase; it is a rising water level that reshapes the landscape of information work for everyone.