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Series 5 posts • ~10 min total Complete

Grid-Level Thinking

A four-part exploration of how AI functions as infrastructure, not magic. What we miss when we treat it like a shortcut instead of a system to design around.

This series started as a phone call—and a question: Where does AI actually help, right now, for real?

Not the hype. Not the fear. The honest answer.

AI is infrastructure. It’s the power grid. It’s on, it’s live, it’s humming. But you still need to wire something. You still need a blueprint. Access isn’t the differentiator anymore—application is.

The Arc:

  1. AI Is the Grid — What we miss when we treat AI like magic instead of infrastructure
  2. Everyone Got the Current — Access isn’t the differentiator; application is
  3. Plug In, Then Rethink — Adoption isn’t the hard part; redesign is
  4. Power Without Purpose — Why leverage without clarity is just noise
  5. Grid-Level Thinking Wasn’t the Plan — How this series emerged and what it means

Each post builds on the last—from metaphor to methodology to honest reflection on what this shift actually requires.

Reading Order

1

Wired for Power: AI Is the Grid. You’re the Architect.

Post 1 of 4 in the Grid-Level Thinking series—what we miss when we treat AI like magic instead of infrastructure.

2 min •
2

Wired for Power: Everyone Got the Current. Not Everyone Built the City.

Post 2 of 4 in the Grid-Level Thinking series—access isn’t the differentiator anymore. Application is.

1 min •
3

Plug In. Then Rethink the System.

Post 3 of 4 in the Grid-Level Thinking series—adopting AI isn’t the hard part. Redesigning your system around it is.

2 min •
4

Power Without Purpose Is Just a Bill.

Post 4 of 4 in the Grid-Level Thinking series—why using AI for real work has changed how I design systems, think about leverage, and clarify what actually matters.

3 min •
5

Grid-Level Thinking Wasn't the Plan

This wasn’t meant to be a thought leadership series. It started as a phone call—and a question: Where does AI actually help, right now, for real? I’m Not Hyping AI. I’m Just Using It.

2 min •
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