The Analog Rebellion: Why AI’s Brightest Minds Are Going Back to Basics
We tend to imagine AI engineers living in a futuristic bubble where bots answer emails, schedule meetings, and optimize every waking moment. But according to a fascinating report shared by WebProNews, the reality is almost the complete opposite. The very people building the world’s most advanced automation tools are increasingly choosing not to automate their own daily lives.
Tap to explore: Why tech insiders are refusing to let AI handle tasks like messaging, scheduling, or even note‑taking.
The Trust Gap: Why AI Engineers Still Write Their Own Emails
Machine-learning engineer Stella Dong is one of many insiders refusing to hand control of her voice to a bot. She writes her own emails, edits line by line, and uses tools like Copilot only for polishing—not drafting. Her reasoning is simple: AI can generate words, but it cannot guarantee intent, nuance, or relationship awareness.
To those who build these systems, the risk of a tone-deaf or hallucinated response simply isn’t worth the seconds saved. This echoes something we often emphasize during client consultations at TNT Nerds: automation is powerful, but only when used with intention. The smartest workflow isn’t the most automated one—it’s the one you control.
Friction Makes Memory: The Case Against AI Scheduling
Many AI workers also avoid automated calendar tools. Research—and real-world experience—show that manually entering meetings reinforces memory. When AI manages your schedule, you become a passive passenger in your own workflow.
Insiders prefer the cognitive map that comes from friction. Dong even had her partner schedule an interview manually, bypassing every automated link. Old-school? Yes. Effective? Absolutely.
Try this: Add your next appointment manually. Notice how much more vividly you remember it compared to tapping an automated link.
The Automation Paradox: Capability vs. Wisdom
The McKinsey Global Institute reports that current technology could automate nearly 57% of all work hours performed by Americans. But as senior partner Lareina Yee points out, that number reflects what is technically possible, not what is strategically wise.
Some tasks may remain intentionally manual—not because robots can’t perform them, but because humans must. Without writing emails, taking notes, or planning meetings, how do junior employees develop judgment? How do they learn to effectively critique AI outputs later?
The Return of Pen and Paper—Inside the Most Advanced Labs
Ziyi Liu, an AI intern at Microsoft, ignores the powerful transcription features built into her tools and instead types her own meeting notes. Others go even further: marketing consultant and AI trainer Ryan Bearden uses a Moleskine notebook, sketching ideas on paper before touching a digital workspace.
This analog approach signals focus, control, and intentionality—qualities that automation often dulls if overused.
Strategic Friction: The Hidden Competitive Advantage
The insiders’ real secret? They deliberately slow down parts of their workflow to keep their minds sharp. By drafting manually, planning their own schedule, or thinking on paper, they stay in control of their cognition—not outsourcing it to a machine trained on statistical averages.
In an era obsessed with speed, originality often comes from resisting the urge to automate everything.
The Future: Not Full Automation, But Smart Hybrid Workflows
This rising “analog rebellion” hints at what the future of work is evolving into: a hybrid model where humans choose when to automate and when to stay hands-on. Those who let AI run every part of their workday may drift into passive, shallow workflows. Those who manage AI deliberately—like Dong, Liu, and Bearden—maintain sharper thinking, stronger memory, and better control.
At TNT Nerds, we see this truth in every modernization project we undertake. The goal isn’t to automate everything—it’s to automate the right things. Friction isn’t the enemy. Poorly applied automation is.
Source spotlight: Inspired by reporting from WebProNews. Full article:
The Analog Rebellion: Why Silicon Valley’s AI Architects Are Rejecting Their Own Tools
As AI continues evolving, the true power users won’t be the ones who automate fastest—they’ll be the ones who know exactly when to step back and pick up a pen.
