Interview with Adam Yong, Founder of AgilityWriter

I have always had a deep interest in technology and how it can streamline complex processes. Starting Agility Writer was a natural progression for me. With my background in computer science and experience as an application developer, I saw how content creation was evolving. It was clear that people were struggling to balance speed, quality, and SEO optimization. Agility Writer aims to solve that by automating writing tasks, making the process faster without compromising quality. I wanted to build something that could give marketers and content creators a smarter way to work, allowing them to focus more on strategy and creativity rather than time-consuming tasks.

I think industries like marketing, healthcare, and finance are seeing the most demand for AI. They benefit most from AI’s ability to process large amounts of data and make predictions. For example, in marketing, we’re seeing AI tools used to personalize content at scale, something that was far more difficult a few years ago.

I don’t think the audience is fully saturated or tired of AI yet. While there’s a lot of buzz around AI, its potential is still underutilized in many industries. As AI technology continues to evolve, it becomes more practical and integrated into everyday tools. The more people experience how AI can genuinely improve efficiency and solve problems, the more they will embrace it. 

AI’s value lies not in replacing humans, but in augmenting their abilities. The audience may be tired of hearing about AI, but they’re not tired of seeing how it can make their lives easier.

Industries that require deep emotional intelligence, personal connections, or creative intuition are tough for AI to penetrate. Fields with therapy and counseling rely heavily on empathy, understanding, and human connection. These are things AI cannot truly replicate. While AI might assist in certain tasks like scheduling or data analysis, it can’t provide the genuine human touch that people in these fields need to offer their clients.

Similarly, industries like fine arts and certain types of high-level creativity are difficult for AI to fully infiltrate. AI can generate art or music based on patterns, but it lacks the unique emotional and personal expression that a human artist brings to their work. While AI can be a helpful tool for inspiration or assisting with mundane tasks, it can’t replace the depth of human creativity and emotion that drives these industries.

AI has made huge strides, but it still faces some significant limitations. One of the biggest challenges is understanding nuance and context. AI can process data and recognize patterns, but it often struggles with the subtleties that humans grasp easily, like sarcasm, irony, or complex emotions. This is particularly true in fields like customer service, where tone and empathy matter.

Another limitation is the potential for bias in AI systems. If the data used to train AI models is biased or incomplete, the output will reflect that. This is a major issue, especially in sensitive areas like hiring or law enforcement, where biased AI can perpetuate existing inequalities.

Lastly, AI lacks true creativity and critical thinking. While it can assist in creative processes by providing suggestions or generating ideas, it cannot truly innovate or think outside the box in the way humans can. These limitations mean that AI is best used as a tool to assist rather than replace human expertise.

Businesses that deal with large volumes of data or repetitive tasks can greatly benefit from AI. Industries like marketing, finance, customer service and e-commerce are perfect examples. AI can help these businesses automate processes, analyze trends, and personalize customer experiences. For instance, in marketing, AI tools can optimize campaigns and generate insights that would take humans much longer to gather. In e-commerce, AI can recommend products based on user behavior, driving more sales.

On the other hand, businesses that rely heavily on personal relationships, creative expression, or hands-on craftsmanship might not need AI as much. Small boutique shops, independent artists, or therapy services thrive on human interaction and unique, personalized services that AI cannot replicate. In these industries, the value is in the human touch, and while AI can help with administrative tasks, it’s not essential to the core of the business.

As for my hobby, I’m a bit of a tech enthusiast. I love experimenting with new gadgets, apps, and tools that push the boundaries of technology. It’s exciting to see how AI and automation are changing the landscape of different industries, and I enjoy getting hands-on with these tools to see how they can be applied in real-world situations. It’s a perfect blend of work and play for me.

To aspiring AI specialists, I’d say don’t just focus on the tech side. Understand the real-world problems you are solving. AI isn’t only about algorithms, but about applying them to make a tangible impact. The most successful AI specialists I have met are great at understanding the business needs and how AI can address them. Focus on learning how to make AI solutions practical and actionable.

For anyone looking to learn more about AI, I recommend reading “AI Superpowers” by Kai-Fu Lee. It provides a clear overview of the global AI landscape and the opportunities ahead. Also, I’d suggest exploring online platforms like Coursera and edX for courses on AI and machine learning, which are great for building a strong foundation.