It's been almost a month since I joined the frontier AI lab, and what a year this month has been!
My first week was pretty epic: hanging out with the Codex Community in London led by Andy Tyler, supporting a builder's event with my friends at Vercel, and, the cherry on top, seeing the announcement that my first start-up, Gitpod, was acquired by OpenAI.
That was followed by a few weeks of being thrown into the deep end: supporting various community initiatives, helping land exciting launches with the community, and gradually becoming a power user of AI at work and in life... Wild!
It's been easy to spend days in front of my computer, reading everything going on, experimenting with Codex, pushing AI to the limits, and finding all the ways it can optimise the stuff I don't like doing. For example, filling in forms or even editing videos, I just use Computer Use for that.
I love it. I'm feeling more optimistic about the technology, and how we can use it for whatever we want to build.
But it's often so easy to just get carried away. When is enough?
I replied to this because it made me laugh how quickly I recognised myself in it:
Tweet from Pauline P. Narvas about automating grocery shopping
Making space for life
After one of my long work days, I decided I had done everything I could for the day, even though AI makes me feel like I can always do more. I fought off the urge. Some days it's easier than others. Some days it's not, and I spend another few hours prompting, experimenting, creating, crafting structures for community, and thinking about how we build these out.
Eventually, I left my office and went to the living room, where my husband was reading a book and decompressing after a long day at his job. I said I wanted ice cream, so we went out - embarrassingly for me, the first time I had left the house that day - and I was greeted with the most beautiful sunset. Pinks and purples and orange and fresh air from the sea front. 🌅
I just wanted one Cornetto, but they were all out because it's summer. So I ended up getting a pack of 4. Which I promise I didn't eat all at once. We laughed at how the flake in my ice cream was tiny compared to the picture on the box.
As we walked back home, I looked around and saw people enjoying the weather on Brighton seafront. Bars and restaurants were finally making use of their outdoor spaces for the summer. The vibe was positive, happy, and felt alive.
I often see people saying that AI makes them feel so energised and alive and empowered because we can just build things. I love that. I feel it too when I get into the flow. And even more now with recent releases and models, it's just getting better.
This is the thought I keep coming back to:
Tweet from Pauline P. Narvas about choosing more heart over more AI
Whilst you have Sol, don't forget you have soul too, and that soul also needs nurturing and taking care of. ☀️
We had a reset week at work, which was a great reminder of that. And although I did work a little bit, I was happy to have space to take in everything I've learned so far and process the craziness of the last few weeks.
If anything, joining has made me think more about the time we need to build relationships that nurture our souls. AI can make us feel limitless, energised, and able to do more than ever, and I love that. But the thought I keep coming back to is that we need to protect the very human parts of ourselves too, and remember there's a whole world outside our screens.
And I don't think the answer is to stop using AI or feel guilty for enjoying it. Try the new models! Build the thing! Get into the flow! Just remember to come back to yourself too.
So don't forget about the ordinary moments that make us feel alive.
Like going out for ice cream and accidentally catching the sunset.