What I Learned (and Unlearned) at Harvard’s AI Course
Trying to Outlearn the Tsunami
two and a half years ago, I wrote an article titled Can ChatGPT Rob a Bank? I was working in fraud investigations at the time, and what unsettled me wasn’t just the idea that AI could automate my job — it was that it might actually assist in committing the crimes I was trying to prevent. I opened that piece by saying, “I have been watching ChatGPT with excitement, horror, hopefulness, deep skepticism, and above all confusion, on what it means.” Two and a half years later, that hasn’t changed much. We’re still flooded with predictions of superintelligent doom — where job loss is just the beginning.
Two and a half years later and the robots have not taken over yet. But it is hard to imagine that enormous change is not coming to the workplace. It’s hard to think of many jobs that won’t be impacted by AI and white-collar jobs will be at the front of the line. It seems inevitable that work, as we have known it, is coming to an end. And it doesn’t seem like anybody really knows what is going to replace it. So, I got tired of waiting around for the tsunami to flatten my village and decided to go learn how to build a boat.
Since nobody seems to know what this new reality is going to look like, it seemed like the best place to start was by learning from the people who were most likely to have the best guess. I have done a few courses at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Executive Education program in the past and always thought they were great. A bit of research and I found they were offering a course called Leading in Artificial Intelligence. Right now, I have the time available to spend a week in Cambridge and immerse myself into the topic, so it seemed perfect.
Based on my past HKS experiences, I knew there were two key reasons to enroll: the speakers and the students. Harvard attracts some of the best minds on any topic — both as faculty and as peers. And often, those groups are interchangeable. That’s exactly what great learning looks like.
Students came from all over the world and held positions such as medical doctors, Navy admirals and Seals, entrepreneurs, MPs, cyber security specialists, government officials, and many more. All of whom had something to offer in class, in a study group, and/or during a meal outside of the classroom.
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The course covered a combination of the technical and theoretical, which is ideal for a seasoned professional who needs to understand the emergence of the new era that AI is promising. By the end of the course, I had a much deeper understanding of exactly what AI is (and isn’t) doing, where it can be applied best, and where it is likely to go. To conclude the class, we were given the assignment to build our own bots. It is easier and harder than it looks, but a profound way to learn how to get the most out of this exciting new technology.
So here I am, one week later, and my brain is swimming with new ideas and information. I gained new friends, met some fascinating people, and can now look back on the speakers’ presentations as a source of ongoing guidance.
I’m still “watching ChatGPT with excitement, horror, hopefulness, deep skepticism, and above all, confusion about what it means” — but now I also feel empowered, optimistic, clearer, and more focused.
AI feels less scary, though still not to be underestimated. And I’ve changed my opinion on what a future with AI might look like.
Changing your mind is rare these days. That’s exactly what I want from an education: to understand what I didn’t before, so I can think differently.
Curious about the course? Drop me a line — I’m always up for a good conversation about where this is all going.
I’ll be sharing more reflections, lessons, and experiments as I keep learning, building, and questioning where this is all heading — especially as the line between human and machine work keeps shifting.
If you’re interested in that journey too, hit subscribe or drop me a note. I’d love to hear how you’re thinking about the future of work — and how you’re building your own boat.
∗ This article was written by the author and edited using AI tools (ChatGPT) to support clarity and revision.
