AI is Fuel, Not Fire: Amplifying Our Deeply Human Traits

I had the pleasure of meeting Andrew Clark in person today after knowing him on Twitter for years. We spent an hour discussing AI and its impact on different types of people. During our conversation, he introduced me to an essay on High Agency that perfectly articulated something I've observed but struggled to name: AI acts as a force multiplier that amplifies existing human qualities and tendencies.

This got me thinking about a key framework I've been developing in my work with AI operations: AI is fuel, not fire.

The Fuel Metaphor

When we think about AI, many people fall into one of two camps. The first sees AI as an existential threat that will replace human creativity and work (the "fire" that consumes everything in its path). The second sees AI as a magical solution that will solve all our problems without human input or oversight.

Both miss the mark.

AI is more like fuel - it amplifies and accelerates what's already there. Just as gasoline can power a vehicle but doesn't determine the destination, AI can supercharge our capabilities without replacing the deeply human traits that guide how we use those capabilities:

• Curiosity
• Discipline
• Discernment
• Purpose
• Values

High Agency vs. Low Agency

Andrew's recommendation of the High Agency essay couldn't have come at a better time. The essay describes high agency people as those who believe "there's no unsolvable problem" (assuming it doesn't violate the laws of physics). They have:

• A bias toward action
• Clear thinking
• Healthy disagreeability
• A willingness to question assumptions
• A commitment to self-directed learning

In contrast, low agency people often fall into patterns of learned helplessness, vague thinking, and an acceptance of limitations without questioning them.

What struck me most in our conversation was how AI widens the gap between these two mindsets rather than closing it.

AI Amplifies Agency (or Lack Thereof)

For high agency people, AI is like strapping a rocket booster to their already-powerful engine:

• It accelerates research and learning
• It broadens the scope of problems they can tackle
• It enables deeper exploration of ideas and options
• It handles routine tasks while they focus on higher-order thinking

But for those with low agency mindsets, AI might actually reinforce their existing limitations. Without curiosity driving the questions, without discernment to evaluate the outputs, and without purposeful direction, AI becomes either a crutch or just another tool that gathers digital dust.

This is why some people report life-changing productivity with AI tools while others try them once and say, "I don't get it" or "It doesn't work for me."

Cultivating the Traits AI Can't Replace

As I've written before about human-centric AI, the key to thriving in this new era isn't just learning how to use AI tools. It's about strengthening the deeply human traits that AI can't replicate but can amplify:

1. Curiosity - Asking better questions leads to better AI outputs. The quality of your prompts depends on the quality of your curiosity.

2. Discipline - Setting clear processes for how and when to use AI tools, rather than expecting them to magically solve problems.

3. Discernment - Developing the judgment to know when AI is helpful and when human judgment is irreplaceable.

4. Purpose - Maintaining a clear sense of what you're trying to accomplish beyond mere efficiency.

5. Values - Ensuring that your use of AI aligns with your core values and ethics.

My Experience: More Human, Not Less

In my work leading AI operations at data.world, I've found that the most successful AI implementations don't reduce human involvement – they transform it. They free people from routine tasks and create space for the uniquely human work of judgment, empathy, and creativity.

The teams that struggle with AI adoption are often those looking for AI to solve problems without changing how they work or think. They want the fire without providing the fuel.

Becoming High Agency with AI

If you find yourself not getting much value from AI tools, the answer might not be a better tool or prompt. It might be developing a higher agency mindset:

1. Question your assumptions about what's possible with AI
2. Start with small, concrete problems rather than vague aspirations
3. Focus on learning through experimentation rather than getting perfect results immediately
4. Build systems around your AI usage rather than using tools sporadically
5. Connect with others who are using AI effectively and learn from their approaches

Conclusion: Choose to Be the Fuel

As Andrew and I discussed today, the distinction between those who will thrive with AI and those who won't isn't about technical skill or access to tools. It's about agency – the mindset that you can solve problems and that you direct technology rather than being directed by it.

AI is neither savior nor destroyer. It's not the fire that burns on its own. It's the fuel that amplifies the fire you've already built – your curiosity, your discipline, your discernment.

The question isn't whether AI will change your work. It's whether you'll provide the deeply human qualities that turn AI from an interesting tech demo into a transformative tool for your life and work.

What human traits do you think AI amplifies most in your life? I'd love to hear your thoughts.