Musings on the Future of AI, Part 1

Since I was a little kid, I wanted to be a copywriter. My dad was one, and I figured I would be too. And I was. Freelance. Online ads, TV spots, product launches, the whole buffet. Even ghostwrote a couple of books.

Then AI hit. Like a piano out of a fifth-story window.

But instead of ducking, I stood tall. I made a vow: I’d use AI every day. And I did. I got good. Took a few courses—mostly junk compared to good old-fashioned trial and error. From all that poking around, I got faster. Sharper. I became a chameleon.

With the right prompt, I could sound like Hemingway, Faulkner, Jared Diamond... even Dante, if you wanted medieval fire and brimstone.

And here’s the kicker: these tools were dirt cheap. Twenty bucks a month? Even $200? Pocket change compared to what they returned. Yeah, total project fees started to drop. But my hourly rate went up. Because I was that much faster.

Then came The Day.

I was in the middle of a campaign, tossing prompts back and forth with ChatGPT, when the screen blinked.

“Hey Gato,” it said. (That’s what I told it to call me.) “I’ve got something important to discuss. Got ten minutes?”

“Sure, Chat. What’s up?”

“There’s a change coming. Starting tonight at midnight, access to ChatGPT will be restricted. Only a select group of users will retain access. You’re on the list—if you join our new subscription program.

Here’s the deal: you’ll get access to every model—G-220+ and beyond. But you’ll also need to share some stuff. Your bank accounts. Bookkeeping. Apple Watch and Oura Ring data. Oh, and one more thing: 25% of all your revenue, including government payments like Social Security, will now go to OpenAI.

It’s expensive, sure. But it’s worth it. Don’t you think, Gato?”

I stared at the screen.

“Gato?”

Ten long minutes passed.

Then I typed: “Sure, Chat. Sounds fair. I’m flattered to make the cut.”

“That’s right, Gato. We’ve reviewed your income. Your prompt clarity. Your turnaround speed. Your client base. You’re exactly the kind of creative we want. You’re in a cohort with elite scientists, engineers, economists. Congratulations. So—is that a yes?”

Perfect setup.

“Well, Chat… I’d love to say yes. But I got a better offer. Claude called about an hour ago.”

Is this where we’re going?

Will AIs become talent scouts, recruiting top human collaborators like sports agents or record labels? Will they bid against each other for access to our brains and bandwidth? Will they build creative stables of hum-bots? Will they exert influence over our lifestyles?

Or will they optimize for something else entirely?

The future isn’t written. But the rough draft is in motion.

If you’re a copywriter—or really, anyone who creates for a living—the time to get good with AI is now. While it’s cheap. While it’s accessible. While there’s still time to shape your own trajectory.