Ruben Hassid · 8 min read · AI & Product
AI is a slot machine.
Read the original on ruben.substack.com →
The piece reframes AI usage as a five-stage journey modeled on grief, arguing that AI is probabilistic rather than a guaranteed truth. It introduces the 'AI gambler' mindset and offers practical prompts and behaviors to move from denial to acceptance and mastery.
Key Takeaways
- AI outputs are probabilistic and can vary; always consider multiple options (e.g., request 3 versions/angles).
- Most users cycle through denial, anger, bargaining, and depression; true mastery comes with acceptance and strategic use (the AI gambler).
- Be proactive with prompts: use follow-ups to call out mistakes and guide AI toward what you want rather than chasing a perfect prompt.
- Treat AI as a manager or junior assistant in your workflow and share learnings to scale AI productivity.
Excerpt
You open Claude. You type a question, read the answer, and move on with your day. That’s how 9 out of 10 people use AI, and it’s why you think AI is overhyped. The 1 that got the most out of AI is a pure gambler. And he’s winning the decade. He thinks AI is a slot machine. And he’s right. Once you accept that AI is a slot machine, you are at stage 5 (out of 5) of AI. Because there are 5 stages people go through with AI, and they happen to map cleanly onto Kübler-Ross’s 5 stages…