The Smarter They Get The Dumber They Get
September 12, 2026
I really tried. This is supposed to be week 3 of my 8 week break from writing and this was supposed to be a previous article. But stuff happens and sometimes life hands me a topic. If I don't write about it right away it disappears. I'll be back to my 8 week break next week. So here it is-
The Smarter They Get The Dumber They Get
Algorithm: a step-by-step set of instructions or rules designed to solve a specific problem or complete a task
There seems to be a growing backlash against AI and at the same time a growing dependency and utilization of AI. We’ve gotten ourselves into a bit of a pickle. Here’s what is happening. We use AI more and more every day and we complain about it more and more every day. So what’s the problem and how does it affect our business and our financial momentum?
Before I get into this I need to head off the temptation of readers to say that I don’t understand because I’m just not a tech person. I get that a lot. I once showed up at a company to work on their computer network problems and I was told I couldn’t possibly be the “computer guy” because I didn’t look like a geek. Part of my background before going into real estate was IT, website design, I once had the job title of Systems Analyst(?), physics(nuclear), and molecular imaging. I don’t do any of those things anymore but here’s why I bring it up. Those experiences make me a qualified observer. And here’s what I am observing-
Businesses, entrepreneurs, companies and organizations everywhere are now using AI. Even if they think they aren’t, they actually are. Examples: bookkeeping software, spreadsheets, marketing platforms, website design, and just about anything we use to run a business is now integrated with AI and we might not even realize it. And here’s the result so far.
Business activities look better. But are they better? Websites are looking better. But is the content accurate and correct? Or is it garbage? Have you ever heard the phrase “You won the battles but you lost the war” or something like that? That’s what I think is happening and here are a couple of examples from my personal recent experiences.
New Business Tools
I recently started a new solopreneur business venture. One of the tools I needed was Linktree. It’s a wonderful platform so far. It does so much more than what I realized when I started with it that it has given me a lot of new ideas and possibilities I had not considered. Then it happened. I started the setup process. Designing the layout of my linktree looked like it would be easy except that nothing worked the way it looked like it should. And then there were instructions. The instructions didn’t work. It was like whoever wrote the instructions assumed that the user was also the person who built the website and therefore knew what they were talking about. Instructions like “Click the ___ button and do___” fell short because the button didn’t exist. A button existed but it was labeled differently than the instructions said. There were multiple instances of this in the setup. I figured out some of it by trial and error.
AI To The Rescue? Maybe?
Then I went to an AI for help- I chose Gemini because I had good results from it on another platform with eerily similar issues. Gemini gave me detailed instructions on how to do the layout setup. But that was not accurate either. I reprompted (I think that’s a new word) detailing what didn’t work. It responded with a new set of instructions. After 3 rounds of this Gemini informed me that Linktree had updated the site and that’s why its instructions were off. So that’s Gemini’s excuse. But what’s Linktree’s excuse? My guess is their AI they used to help design and build out the update did not update the instructions. Or someone who used AI in that process just assumed the users would figure it out and there was no need to update the instructions and make them clear. Or maybe that person didn’t even think about the instructions at all.
Are They Really Winning?
I’m not bashing Linktree or Gemini. They are both great products that I would gladly endorse and recommend as a user. But here’s the thing: These products along with thousands of other companies, big and small, are winning battles over and over. But they are losing the war. You can create a good product that can solve everyone’s problems but if you can’t explain how to use it or how to make it work then what you have is an expensive pile fluff. It’s like selling an airplane to a man who can’t fly and including instructions on how to drive a car and assuming he’ll figure out the rest on his own.
The Missing Algorithm
I have been seeing this problem in a growing number of platforms lately. The smarter they get, the dumber they get. How does it affect our financial momentum? The thing that is supposed to save us time and work is doing the opposite. I wasted 2 hours on that little problem yesterday and it required a lot more work than it should have. That’s 2 hours of my life I will not get back. And it was all because someone decided step by step accurate instructions were not necessary? Like I said, getting dumber. Here's the little bit of irony in this. We’re dealing with AI and computer technology in this situation and what’s missing is algorithms, the very foundation of computer technology. It’s worth repeating the definition:
Algorithm: a step-by-step set of instructions or rules designed to solve a specific problem or complete a task
Thanks to all our readers and welcome to the new subscribers! I hope you enjoy the newsletter!
Click Here to read previous articles