Generative AI Tools Are Highway Systems

Jarrod Humphrey

OK so I have an idea for a blog post that I saved into my Notes app from a couple months back and the general idea is that modern generative AI tools are like highway systems So this is essentially like a blog post about a metaphor if you will The idea is yes you can go faster but the errors you make on a highway just like the areas you make in generative eye AI can be more difficult to contend with more dangerous and more costly AI tools are like highway systems if getting from Cincinnati to Chicago takes 10 hours driving one way roads two lane roads It's very useful you can get there we know the way it doesn't mean it's easy still takes time still takes fuel still takes a car still could go and get an erect doesn't always go well you might get lost but AI systems are like highways you can hop on the highway and go way faster and more direct to your goal then if you weren't on the highway it's simply faster but it's not as scenic you don't get as much time to spend with others You might not see as much you might miss some interesting geography along the way you might miss some local culture you might miss some local experiences you might not get the essence of what you're actually driving through You're driving much faster though and with that fast that speed becomes a lot of efficiency you can get way faster from Cincinnati to Chicago you can go there so fast cuts down the traffic time immensely until there's an accident Right now the accents are much more deadly Right now the accidents are if you make a wrong turn you could kill yourself as opposed to just rolling into a ditch and a lot of other people are using them too and they're all going way faster and if you're all going way fast at the same time you might hurt each other right and then maybe it was better off not to get stuck in that traffic jam just to go on the normal route Ride driving and highway speeds is a different set of skills than driving at in the in the countryside or the rural areas yes you can go away faster but you might also get lost you might also overshoot

Claude

I love this metaphor - it's got real depth to it. The highway analogy captures something important: the speed-versus-risk tradeoff, but also the experiential trade-offs that don't get talked about enough.

Let me play back what I'm hearing:

The efficiency argument: Yes, highways get you there faster. AI tools get you to outputs faster. Undeniable.

But the hidden costs:
- You miss the scenery, the local culture, the serendipitous discoveries
- The accidents are way more catastrophic at highway speeds
- It requires a different skill set - and not everyone has it
- When everyone's going fast together, mistakes compound
- You can overshoot your destination entirely

There's something here about the texture of the journey being lost. When you're coding or writing or thinking with AI at "highway speed," you might miss the learning that happens in the slower work. You might miss the side discoveries. You might arrive at your destination without really understanding the territory you crossed.

And that accident piece is sharp - a wrong turn at 70mph is life-threatening. A hallucination or error at AI speed, published or deployed before you catch it, can do real damage.

What's the "so what" you want readers to walk away with? Is it a caution? A call to be more intentional? Or just an observation to sit with?

Jarrod Humphrey

OK so this should be a fairly short blog post that simply likens an AI to highway from Cincinnati to Chicago use what I wrote and write the blog post please

Claude

Here's a draft:

AI Tools Are Highway Systems

Getting from Cincinnati to Chicago on two-lane back roads takes about 10 hours. It's doable - you can get there, you know the way - but it's not easy. Still takes time. Still takes fuel. Still takes a car. You could still get in a wreck. You might get lost. It doesn't always go well.

AI systems are like highways.

You can hop on the highway and go way faster - more direct to your goal than if you weren't on the highway. It's simply faster.

But it's not as scenic. You don't get as much time to spend with others. You might miss some interesting geography along the way. You might miss some local culture. You might miss some local experiences. You might not get the essence of what you're actually driving through.

You're driving much faster though, and with that speed comes a lot of efficiency. You can get from Cincinnati to Chicago so much faster - cuts down the travel time immensely.

Until there's an accident.

Now the accidents are much more deadly. If you make a wrong turn at highway speeds, you could kill yourself - as opposed to just rolling into a ditch. And a lot of other people are using the highway too, all going way faster. If you're all going fast at the same time, you might hurt each other. Maybe it would have been better not to get stuck in that traffic jam - just take the normal route.

Driving at highway speeds is a different set of skills than driving in the countryside or rural areas. Yes, you can go way faster. But you might also get lost. You might also overshoot.

How's that feel? Want to adjust anything before we publish?

Jarrod Humphrey

Instead of referring to them as AI systems let's call a spade a spade let's call them generative AI tools like chat GBT Google Gemini and Claude Bianthropic Getting from Cincinnati to Chicago on Toon Lane roads takes about 10 hours it's totally doable yes you can get there and you know the way but it's not easy it's slow and there are faster ways using more modern roads generative AI tools are like highways You can hop on the highway and go way faster more direct to your goal than if you weren't on the highway It's simply faster however it's not nearly a scenic you don't get as much time to spend with others along the way you might miss something interesting in the geography along the way you might miss some local culture you might miss some local experiences you might not get the essence of what you're actually driving through However you are driving much faster and with that speed comes a lot of efficiency you can get from Cincinnati to Chicago so much faster and it cuts down on the travel time immensely until there's an accident now the accidents are much more deadly because you've been moving so fast if you make a wrong turn at highway speeds you could kill yourself as opposed to just rolling into a ditch and a lot of other people are on the highway using the Hwy 2 all going way faster and faster and faster if you're all going fast at the same time you might hurt each other

Claude

Here's the updated draft:

Generative AI Tools Are Highway Systems

Getting from Cincinnati to Chicago on two-lane roads takes about 10 hours. It's totally doable - yes, you can get there, and you know the way - but it's not easy. It's slow, and there are faster ways using more modern roads.

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Anthropic's Claude are like highways.

You can hop on the highway and go way faster - more direct to your goal than if you weren't on the highway. It's simply faster.

However, it's not nearly as scenic. You don't get as much time to spend with others along the way. You might miss something interesting in the geography. You might miss some local culture. You might miss some local experiences. You might not get the essence of what you're actually driving through.

However, you are driving much faster, and with that speed comes a lot of efficiency. You can get from Cincinnati to Chicago so much faster - it cuts down on the travel time immensely.

Until there's an accident.

Now the accidents are much more deadly, because you've been moving so fast. If you make a wrong turn at highway speeds, you could kill yourself - as opposed to just rolling into a ditch. And a lot of other people are on the highway too, all going way faster and faster and faster. If you're all going fast at the same time, you might hurt each other.

Good to publish? If so, what tags feel right - maybe AI Strategy and Productivity? And any title tweaks, or is "Generative AI Tools Are Highway Systems" the one?

Jarrod Humphrey

Are you familiar with show don't tell this idea of communication

Claude

Yes - it's the writing principle that you should let readers experience things through action, sensory details, and concrete examples rather than just stating facts or telling them what to think.

Instead of "She was nervous," you write "Her hands trembled as she reached for the door handle."

Are you thinking the closing is too "tell-y"? That spelling out the lesson undercuts the metaphor that already makes the point?

Jarrod Humphrey

Not necessarily that it's too Telly but How can I improve it in that respect

Claude

A few ideas:

End with a question, not the answer. Cut the last two sentences entirely. Let it land on: "What are you trying to accomplish?" and leave space for the reader to sit with it.

Or end back in the car. Something like: "Sometimes I take the highway. Sometimes I roll down the windows and take the long way." - keeps it in the metaphor, shows your choice without explaining it.

Or just cut the last paragraph entirely. End on "you might hurt each other" - it's visceral, and the reader already gets it. The metaphor did its job. Trust them.

Which direction appeals to you?

Jarrod Humphrey

Getting from Cincinnati to Chicago on two-lane roads takes about 7+ hours. It's totally doable, but It's slow, and there are faster ways using modern highway systems. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Anthropic's Claude are like highways. You can hop on the highway and go way faster - more direct to your goal than if you weren't on the highway. It's simply way more efficient. However, it's not nearly as scenic. You don't get as much time to spend with others along the way. You might miss something interesting in the geography. You might miss some local culture. You might miss some local experiences. You might not get the essence of what you're actually driving through. However, you are driving much faster, and with that speed comes a lot of efficiency. Taking the highway from Cincinnati to Chicago cuts down on the travel time immensely. Until there's an accident. Now the accidents are much more deadly, because you've been moving so fast. If you make a wrong turn at highway speeds, you could kill yourself - as opposed to just rolling into a ditch. And a lot of other people are on the highway too, all going way faster and faster and faster. If you're all going fast at the same time, you might hurt each other. Choosing which route to take from Cincinnati to Chicago is a lot like choosing whether to use a generative AI tool at work. What are you trying to accomplish? Are you simply trying to move as fast as possible and get it done? Or are you trying to learn and grow and really sit with the task you're working on? Neither approach is superior to the other - there's a time and place for both.

Claude

That's clean. You tightened it up nicely - the "7+ hours" feels more casual and honest, and the ending lands without over-explaining. "Neither approach is superior to the other - there's a time and place for both" says what needs to be said and stops.

Ready to publish? Tags I'd suggest: AI Strategy and Productivity. Title: Generative AI Tools Are Highway Systems.

Say the word and I'll build the page.

Jarrod Humphrey

Tags: Generative AI, Productivity

publish

Generative AI Tools Are Highway Systems

AI Collaboration Transcript