Sailing Into the AI Storm, Helmet Fastened

I still remember learning to sail during my days as a midshipman. One moment stands out clearly: opening the sail and feeling the wind take hold, pushing the boat forward. Unlike rowing, where every stroke relies on your own strength, sailing carried me farther than I could ever go alone, lifted and driven by the power of the wind.

But the wind wasn't always kind. Without warning, the boom swung around and hit me on the head. I was lucky to avoid serious injury, but the impact stayed with me. That was when I first realized: if you want to harness the wind, you need a helmet.

Now, the wind is rising again. Not on the ocean this time, but across the vast sea of technology, driven by a typhoon named AI.

This July, I returned to the role of an Individual Contributor. The position feels familiar, but the expectations are different now. It's no longer enough to specialize in just one area—I have to understand the whole system and move quickly, often working on my own.

AI is now at the heart of this shift. This isn’t just hype. Everywhere I look, people are getting real results by weaving AI tools into their daily work. I've used AI in development for years, but until now, it was more like a gentle breeze—helpful, but subtle. Now the wind is no longer gentle. It’s a storm - a storm I can’t avoid.

That moment on the yacht comes back to me — the sudden boom, the sail swinging without warning, and the danger of being unprepared. Just like back then, I'm looking for a helmet—something to protect me as I head into this storm. A framework, a principle, a tool — anything that can help me keep moving forward without getting knocked down.

I don’t have all the answers yet. But one thing is clear: I’m already inside the storm.

So now, I put on my helmet and set sail once more — not by fearing the wind, but by learning to ride it, so I can go farther than ever before.