AI and Human Collaboration

Some of us have always been generalists. We grew up with the immediate need to thrive, so we had to develop many survival skills rapidly. Sometimes these survival skills were new ways to earn money; other times, they were just to cope with the immediate responsibilities and boredom life bestowed upon us before we could be weaned. I was telling a friend just two weeks ago about how I have several skills I learnt in the past that are now dormant. Why did I learn them? I cannot tell, but it was probably to earn more money for survival. If you are a generalist, you probably share the same experience as me—or at least I hope you do.

"Most times we do not know the solution to a problem because we have not searched enough."

This rings especially true for me. I am from a country (Nigeria) where the economic situation will grapple you at any age, just to torment you with the fact that, by no choice of your own, you were born into her. This reality made many of us develop the ability to do a lot with little.

Who are generalists?

Some years ago, I wanted to learn product design, but many of the courses I saw were priced in dollars, which I definitely couldn't afford. The fact that I wanted to learn and the tenacity to do so no matter the obstacle made me go online to search for and accumulate free materials. I had to dust every corner of the internet to get curriculums and materials to learn the skill. After I learnt, I shared these resources with many others. Now, when I write AI prompts so well, you might wonder where I learnt it. The truth is, I did not actively learn it. But when we had no AI models, I had to search Google as if my life depended on it. Through this experience, I've learnt that most skills that will make you a generalist are picked up accidentally—just because you're curious and tenacious.

In his book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialised World, David Epstein defines generalists as individuals who have a broad range of skills and experiences across various domains, rather than specialising deeply in one specific area. Many people, including prominent figures, have argued against the ideologies that David proposed in his book. For example, Cal Newport, in his book Deep Work, advocates for the benefits of deep, focused work and specialisation. He argues that in a world that increasingly values productivity and high-quality output, specialising and engaging in deep work can be more advantageous than being a generalist. These are great men, but could they be wrong, or is what's missing in their individual propositions balance—the synergy of thought?

Where does growth start?

There's an interesting story about Chinese bamboo that you might have heard at least once. It's said that after its seed has been planted, the Chinese bamboo tree usually shows no sign of growth until its fifth year. The fascinating part of the story is that during these first four years, it develops an extensive root system in the soil. Then, in just a few weeks in the fifth year, it can reach a height of about 80-90 feet. When looking at your life, it should always be from the perspective of growth, especially because you haven't lived this life before. We can see that how fast and tall you want to grow determines how much of a root system you should develop beneath.

Are Cal Newport and David Epstein both right? Yes, I think they are, and our lesson is actually in the balance of both perspectives. I can't remember a time when I wasn't a generalist; in my sign-out book from my final year as an undergrad, one thing everyone agreed on was that I am resourceful. In fact, I was awarded the most resourceful award in my department, debate club, and church—a hat-trick of awards speaking to the same quality: resourcefulness (also known as being a generalist).

It was a good thing, I mean it is, but after my undergrad, I realised I knew a lot about everything but little about anything in-depth. So, my journey has been from generalist to specialist. A few months after leaving campus, I decided to learn a skill and become specialised in it while still possessing the skills that make me a generalist. I think herein lies the balance: know a lot about one thing and a little about a lot.

The Growth Principle

Growth starts at the root; for every plant that will grow tall and strong, the growth always starts at the root. A tree is nature; so are you, so why should your growth system be different?

When starting your career, focus on mastering a specific area first, but keep in mind the idea of expanding your knowledge broadly. The present world doesn't respect generalists as much as specialists; when new economic committees are formed, they don't call generalists, they call specialists.

Real example: Two years ago, I had about 360 followers on Twitter (now known as X) by talking about various issues, including tech, design, entrepreneurship, etc. Then I decided to focus solely on design. In just about three months, I gained over 10,000 new followers. You see, this is just how the world is presently wired, and you should use it to your advantage.

Key takeaway: If you started out as a graphic designer, master graphic design before you start yearning to become a type designer and then a multidisciplinary designer. Gain respect first: now I talk about many other issues on my Twitter profile, and people listen.

The Generalists Will Rule the AI Era

There are now many Large Language Models (LLMs) that can solve the most difficult problems in just seconds. The other day, I generated a fully fleshed-out user flow and information architecture in less than a minute using Claude. If I were to create both myself, I would need at least a day. If this is true, imagine what becomes of the specialist who has focused solely on creating user flows.

As fascinating as the AI revolution is—with its speed, low margin for error, and cheap cost of labour, to mention a few benefits—the jobs of some professionals are inevitably at risk. But do you know the beauty of AI models? They are "horses" that need to be ridden, and the best people to ride them are not specialists but generalists.

Why Generalists Excel with AI

Let me explain: I learnt HTML/CSS some time ago; I also learnt Python and the principles of Git version control, among other skills. My first job as an adult was as a product marketer, and I supported a side project as a product manager about a year ago. Until recently, I thought all of this diverse knowledge might have been a waste. However, I recently developed a Figma plugin (all on my own) using LLMs in just two days.

Show me a specialist who can do that—you won't find one. Do you know why? Because if they know coding, they're good at it, and that's often all they know. Such specialists wouldn't be able to ride these AI "horses" as effectively as a person who knows a little about everything.

Put AI models in the hands of a generalist, and you have yourself a one-person army.

If there is a time to transition from being a specialist to a generalist, it's now.

The T-Shaped Professional: Balancing Depth and Breadth

As I mentioned earlier, we need to balance Cal's and David's ideologies; we have to find a middle ground. The person who will thrive in the AI era isn't just a specialist or a generalist—they're both. This person is who we will examine as the T-shaped professional (also known as the specialised generalist).

Understanding the T-Shape

Imagine the letter 'T':

  • The vertical bar represents deep expertise in a specific field—your area of specialisation
  • The horizontal bar represents a broad understanding of various related fields

This is the essence of being T-shaped: having depth in one area and breadth across many.

This approach is important because even though most startup founders talk about their appreciation for generalists, I have yet to see a job ad with that title. You should be a generalist but a [your job title + generalist]. For example, I can say I am a product designer and a generalist.

Advantages of Being T-Shaped

  1. Maintain speciality (the vertical bar in the T) in a field
  2. Stretch your horizontal bar to do what's necessary when needed
  3. Make unique connections that specialists may not see

Personal example: One advantage I've seen in my career (as a product designer) is collaboration. I'm always a delight to developers during design handoffs, as I can speak their language. In my last work meeting, I even helped a front-end developer solve a logic problem in his code during my review meeting.

Market Demand Example

Recently, employers have focused more on hiring design engineers than product designers. The reason is that design engineers are generalists—they can design and write code, thereby reducing the development timeline. Just imagine for a second if AI should take over the design job; a pure product designer might struggle to survive, but a design engineer would be able to adapt as a generalist with multiple skill sets.

The Future of Work with AI

How to Become T-Shaped

As you know at this point, my advice for you is to not be a specialist or a generalist but be a conflation of both (which we are going to call a T-shaped professional from this point).

Step 1: Master Your Craft

I told you your priority in terms of career development should be to master a craft, and let there be something you are good at and known for. This is the first step in becoming T-shaped; you shouldn't forget that the way to mastery is through focused study (learning) and practice.

Step 2: Maintain Curiosity

The second step is to maintain a high level of curiosity in this field and everything that relates to it. It's a lot of work, I know, but it has to be done.

Step 3: Identify Related Fields

How do you know related fields? Ask yourself this question: What skill, if learnt, will help you become better in your field?

As a product designer, if I ask myself this question, my answer will probably be programming. I recently posted something on my Twitter profile that I will share with you here: you should experiment outside of work by taking on side projects, which allow you to test out new ideas that you are learning. When you do these side projects, you will realise that to make some parts of them work, you would have to acquire some skillsets that you do not yet have.

Real-World Example

As a product designer, my vertical bar is in user experience and interface design. However, I've intentionally broadened my horizontal bar by learning about:

  • Marketing
  • Basic coding
  • Business strategy

This T-shaped approach has allowed me to not just design products but to:

  • Understand their place in the market
  • Communicate effectively with developers
  • Contribute to strategic decisions

Remember: Becoming T-shaped is a journey, not a destination. As you grow, your 'T' will evolve. Your vertical bar might shift, or you might develop multiple deep specialisations. The key is to maintain that balance between depth and breadth, always staying curious and open to learning.

In the age of AI and rapid technological change, being T-shaped isn't just beneficial—it's becoming essential. It allows you to leverage AI tools effectively across various domains while still providing the deep, human expertise that AI can't replicate.

Transferable Skills for a Reason

Let me tell you a story—maybe one you can relate to. During the orientation programme in my sophomore year as an undergrad, which typically lasts about a week, the process is always geared towards helping you navigate the campus. Although for some of us who happened to study courses that are not in high demand, the process is always to convince you that you have made the right choice with your life by studying the course.

I can remember the dean of my faculty saying phrases like "With this course you are studying, you can work anywhere". Transferable skills are the skills that can equip us to work anywhere, but we sometimes neglect them even though they are talked about quite often. You should pay attention to your transferable skills even as you focus on your main skills.

Why Transferable Skills Matter

Why are transferable skills crucial? Simple—they're your insurance policy in a rapidly changing job market. They're the skills that will help you:

  • Pivot when needed
  • Adapt to new technologies (like AI)
  • Remain valuable even as specific job roles evolve or disappear

Developing Transferable Skills

Now, you might be thinking, "These sound great, but how do I develop these skills?" Here's the thing: you're probably already developing them without realising it.

  • That side project you're working on? → It's teaching you time management
  • That team project at work? → It's honing your collaboration skills

The key is to be intentional about it. When you're working on something, don't just focus on the technical aspects. Think about how you're applying these transferable skills and how you can improve them.

Remember, these skills are transferable for a reason. They're the skills that will help you navigate career changes, adapt to new technologies, and remain valuable in an ever-changing job market. They're the skills that transform you from a specialist into a T-shaped professional (specialist cum generalist).

Personal Impact

In my career as a product designer, these transferable skills have been invaluable:

  • Communication skills → Help me collaborate with developers and stakeholders
  • Problem-solving abilities → Allow me to tackle complex UX and logic challenges
  • Adaptability → Helping me navigate the AI revolution in design

What is the Future Like?

"The best way to predict the future is to create it." — Peter Drucker

When you hear about the AI revolution, your reaction shouldn't be fear but curiosity (which is the key advantage of a generalist). You should want to know how you can benefit from it and how you can adjust to the new world, and that is what I have been trying to tell you. The generalists (much more so the T-shaped professionals) own the future. The ones who know a lot about one thing and a little about a lot are the ones who will be able to ride this AI horse waiting to be ridden.

The Reality of AI Disruption

As AI becomes more skilled in performing specialised tasks, jobs will be taken, and don't say it cannot happen. It did during the 4th industrial revolution, when people started hiring those who could operate the dredging machines instead of those who could dredge manually.

The same thing will happen again. Employers will start hiring people who can execute fast, people who can do their work with the assistance of an AI model. Speed will be the essential factor in this AI era.

The Speed Factor

Tell me, if an AI model can write a piece of code in a minute with a simple prompt, whereas a human will require a day to do the same, why wouldn't speed matter in this world?

Word problem: "If it takes a man to dig a well, how many men will it take to dig ten wells?" This is a mathematics problem that my primary school teacher usually wrote on the chalkboard every morning by 8 am in an exercise he called "morning tea".

Now, let's ask it this way: "If it takes you a day to write a piece of code for recording daily tasks, how long will it take an LLM?" An LLM would have probably generated the code before you finished reading that.

Practical Advice

On a mentorship call I had with a designer last week, she asked an amazing question: "What skills can I add to myself to become a valuable UI/UX designer?" It was a brilliant question, as I love it when mentees come to conversations like this with questions that are important to them.

I pondered the question for a moment and had to ask her to give me a minute. My answer to her was akin to the popular expression about the Chinese bamboo tree I mentioned earlier. I told her:

"There are many skills you can learn, but the first skill is to make sure you earn the title you're being called. Focus on UI/UX design, solidify yourself in it, and then you can confidently extend your tentacles. The best way to become a generalist is to start specialising. You should strive to know everything about one thing and a little about everything."

Footnotes

[1] Generalists pick up skills by accident. You're just trying to survive, and boom—you've learned something new. It's not fancy; it's just life. But here's the thing: it's curiosity that keeps you learning. You see something interesting; you can't help but dig in. That's how generalists are made.

[2] AI is like a super-fast horse. But you need someone who knows how to ride it. That's where generalists win. They can hop on and go while specialists are still reading the manual.

[3] T-shaped isn't just a fancy word. It's about being good at one thing but also knowing a bit about everything else. Like a tree—deep roots, wide branches.

[4] Transferable skills aren't just nice to have. They're how you stay useful when things change. And trust me, things always change. It's how you go from "I design stuff" to "I can figure out any problem you throw at me".

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