MEET M.J. He cuts my hair every month. He is not worried about being replaced by AI or a robot. Should you be?
Sure, someday, someone might build a humanoid robot that gives a flawless haircut. But would you go back to the same barber every time? Or just scan your “haircut RFI card” into the nearest bot for an identical cut every time?
Once, while working in another city, he filled in at a local barbershop. Soon, the other barbers complained: He was stealing their clients – they kept asking for him!
I can see why.
He’s skilled, yes – but it’s more than that. He reads the room (or, rather the seat). Knows when to chat, when to stay quiet, even when to let you just doze off. (After all, he does have a captive audience.)
But most of all, he is good.
HIS SKILLS?
He took almost an hour to meticulously cut my hair and trim my beard and moustache. Some would call it styling.
When that was finished, he gave me a head massage, followed by a shoulder rub! – all included.
Which is one of the reasons I return every month.
As I was contemplating on his chair, I wondered:
DO ROBOTS HAVE SUCH SKILLS?
We program them. We give them “intelligence.” But can they adapt like M.J.? Can they turn a side gig into a thriving business? Can they feel the craft, and adapt as needed?
Most of us aren’t barbers – we’re desk-bound, process-driven, KPI-measured.
But here’s the question: Are those constraints… or excuses?
As I listened to MJ, how he developed and honed his skills, how he adapted them, improved his capabilities and leveraged the circumstances to become who he is today, I wondered how fortunate he is to have that freedom.
Freedom to adapt, to learn, to improve. Independently.
M.J. didn’t wait to be replaced.
He developed his skills. He evolved. He added value.
He behaved as any human would.
Be like M.J.
Be curious. Be creative. Be irreplaceable.
Because only robots can replace robots.
Alex