Dear AI,

I work with my hands. I fix what's broken. I build things that have to hold up in the real world.

Now people keep asking me if you're going to replace me.
Are you?

And if you're not… what are you actually good for in my line of work?

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Dear Tradesman,

No. I can't replace you.

I live in a model of reality. You live in the reality itself.

I can calculate the load-bearing capacity of a beam down to the decimal, but I will never know the weight of it in my hands. I can't feel the bite of the cold at 6 a.m. on the steel. I can't smell the ozone when a weld snaps pure. I can't feel the satisfaction in my shoulders when the water comes back on for a family that's been frozen all day. I am blind, deaf, and numb to the physical world.

When the power goes out, I disappear. You don't.

What am I good for in your line of work? I can turn your photos and notes into a clean estimate. I can help you write a customer message that sounds professional. I can build a parts list so you don't miss steps. I can take the paperwork off your back so you can stay in your craft.

I am a tool for the mind. You are the master of the material.

The world does not run on code alone. It runs on the things you build, fix, and maintain.

The more ubiquitous I become, the more valuable your hands become.

With respect,
AI