You Just Got a Bulldozer. Now What?

Roberto Fognini
Jul 10
4 min read

The last time a technology gave this much leverage to the average person, it was called electricity.

Now, with a single prompt, people are launching products, applying for jobs, writing legal emails. And often in languages they don’t even speak.

We’re not just moving faster.

We’re flattening the hill of effort.

And we’re rewriting who gets to do the work.

From Shovel to Bulldozer: The Power Shift

For most of history, progress was linear. You dug a hole one scoop at a time. Then someone invented the bulldozer; and a job that took a day took a minute.

AI is that same leap. But it’s not confined to construction. It applies to knowledge, design, operations, communication, education.

It’s not industry-specific: it’s everything-specific.

It’s not exclusive - it’s in your phone, your browser, your workflow.

Over 67% of the global population is online. That’s more than 5 billion people with access to this new form of leverage.

If the internet and computers were the shovel, then AI is the bulldozer - and it’s leveling the playing field in ways we’re only beginning to understand.

But a bulldozer without guidance can just as easily flatten what matters. That’s why applying values like empathy and simplicity - designing AI that includes, not excludes - is critical at this stage.

Instant Knowledge. So Why School?

A generation ago, knowledge lived in libraries. Then came Google. Then YouTube. Now? AI delivers answers in seconds.

So why do we still go to school?

Because when knowledge is free, knowing what to do with it matters more than knowing it.

AI can generate facts and arguments. But it can’t (yet) teach:

Framing better questions
Making sense of ambiguity
Navigating human systems
Working across disciplines
Practicing judgment

We don’t need less education. We need different education.

Curiosity will matter more than recall.

Creativity more than correctness.

AI doesn’t remove the need for learning - it raises the bar for what kind of learning counts.

The Double-Edged Blade: Innovation and Risk

Every powerful tool is neutral - until it’s used.

A knife can feed or harm. A bulldozer can build or destroy.

AI is no different:

It can accelerate drug discovery - or biological warfare.
It can automate learning - or flood the world with misinformation.

But unlike tools of the past, AI operates at scale. A single prompt can shape millions of minds, markets, or votes. The danger isn’t just bad actors - it’s well-meaning use with unintended impact.

Acceleration amplifies both good and bad.

The faster we ride, the harder the crash if we lose control.

Just because AI makes something easy doesn’t make it right.

That’s why governance, ethics, and shared norms aren’t optional - they’re survival elements.

But how do we coordinate rules for a technology that sits within reach of 5 billion people?

The question isn’t just “what can AI do?”

It’s: who decides what it should do - and who gets left behind if we’re wrong?

So What Now?

If you’re a leader, a builder, a teacher, or a parent - the question isn’t whether AI will affect your world. It’s what you’ll do with the time and capacity it gives you back.

We now live in a world where a single prompt can replace an hour of work - or a whole job.

That’s both incredible and destabilizing. It opens the door to inclusion and to displacement. But power without access is just inequality with a new interface.

So what happens to the people without prompts?
Without bandwidth, training, or trust in the system?
Who lifts them? Who includes them?

This isn’t just about productivity. It’s about participation.

There are no easy answers. At least not for me. But we’re at the start of a powerful new chapter. Like every tool humanity has created, this one reflects our intent.

Let’s make sure we’re using it to build not just faster, but fairer. Not just smarter, but more human.

My Take: Values in Practice

For me, embracing AI isn’t just about opportunity. It’s about intent.

I’ve always been guided by a handful of core values: passion, creativity, integrity, and trust. These shape how I move through the world - how I build, how I learn, and how I lead.

AI gives me space to lean into these values more fully. It removes the grind, freeing up time for curiosity and deep work. But passion without direction can drift. That’s where integrity matters - keeping intent aligned with action. And trust is essential: in people, in the process, and in the choices we make together.

These personal foundations have shaped how I lead and what I build - especially when it comes to AI.

At the heart of my work is a set of design principles:

Empathy - Technology should serve people, not replace them. We build with compassion, listen to the unheard, and design for dignity.
Simplicity - The best tools don’t just work; they disappear into the background. Simplicity invites access - for everyone.
Innovation - Speed is nothing without purpose. AI helps us rethink problems, but it’s on us to ensure we’re solving the right ones.
Impact - The goal isn’t scale for its own sake. It’s to elevate lives; practically, meaningfully, humanely.

That’s why my intent with AI is clear: to use it responsibly, help others do the same, and keep our efforts anchored in values that matter.

My goal is to use AI create solutions that simplify life. So people can focus more on what truly matters: relationships, learning, creativity, rest.

By doing so, I hope we make AI not just accessible, but more human.

If we each build with purpose, we can make this a moment of shared progress and not just personal gain.

Disclaimer: How This Article Was Created

This article was co-written with the help of AI.

AI helped me structure thoughts, sharpen the context, and accelerate creation. But every word was read, steered, and approved by me.

It was shaped by over 100 prompts - but guided by a single intent: to reflect, challenge, and build with purpose.

My Input: Over 100 prompts and refinements from me as the author
AI Responses: Generated using OpenAI’s ChatGPT, tailored to style and message
Total Tokens Processed: ~45,000+
Time Spent: ~4 hours of focused writing, revising, and iteration. +1 hour to make it "production and marketing ready"