2025 CHatgPT 2025 ChatGPT/AI The Duality Of Progress: AI Actually Works

2025 CHatgPT 2025 ChatGPT/AI The Duality Of Progress: AI Actually Works — But No One Uses It

“How do we live in a world where AI can write code and compose music, but the unemployment website’s been down for a week?”

That’s not a metaphor. That’s my life right now.

I just tried to file for unemployment. The website? Down — for nearly a week. I figure, let me do the responsible thing and call. Maybe get some answers.

I get an automated voice telling me… to go back to the website.

The same broken website I called because it wasn’t working.

That’s the answer?

That’s the system?

Meanwhile…

Earlier this week, I had a casual conversation with the front desk manager at my apartment complex. I was just gauging where the average American stands when it comes to AI.

I asked her if she uses it.

Her answer?

“No, not really. I’ve kinda heard of it.”

She was busy, swamped with manager tasks — filling out paperwork, running back-office workflows, clearly overwhelmed.

So I gave her a quick rundown of what AI could do for her.

I said:

“You know that 5 days’ worth of work you’re doing? This could compress that down to 1.”

Her answer?

“Well… I don’t think my boss would let me use it. They probably wouldn’t want to invest in that.”

And that’s when it hit me again:

This is the Duality of Progress

The person doing the work isn’t allowed to use the tools that would make that work easier.

Because of fear.

Because of hierarchy.

Because someone “higher up” doesn’t understand it — or worse, doesn’t care to.

She’s doing the labor.

He’s collecting the rent.

And she’s been conditioned to think the future isn’t hers to use.

Meanwhile, I’ve been using AI for just a few months.

I started with the free version.

I asked: What if I paid the $5 upgrade — what would that unlock?

The system told me. I upgraded. Instantly worth it.

A few weeks later, I upgraded again — to the $20 version. Why?

Because it fucking works.

And let me be clear — I’m not ballin’.

When I made that upgrade, I was making $18/hr, living in Phoenix, paying $855 in rent, plus bills. Every dollar counted.

But I saw the ROI instantly.

The AI didn’t just help me — it multiplied me.

Time, energy, creativity, execution — compressed.

Meanwhile I watch people making 2x or 3x what I was making refuse to spend $5 on a tool that could change their lives — because of fear, because of noise, because someone told them it “steals your data.”

(Newsflash: you can literally toggle that off in settings.)

So what are we really looking at here?

We have tools that work — but people don’t use them.
We have progress on paper — but no access in practice.
We have tech made for everyone — but only used by the few willing to try.

That’s why I call this the Duality of Progress.

The tension between the possible and the permitted.

And honestly?

I’m just a crisis manager scaled through AI.

Same instincts I’ve always had — adapt, solve, compress chaos into something usable.

But now? I’ve got tools that let me move at quantum speed.

And I know this:

The future doesn’t belong to the “experts” or the elites.

It belongs to the managers , the single moms , the stay-at-home dads , the chaos navigators —

the people who already know how to solve problems with duct tape and prayer.

Now they’ve got AI.

And when that switch flips?

This whole system better catch up — or catch that smoke.

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Shawn knight @masterplanner25