The problem
As a first step in documenting this project, I thought it would be a good idea to explain why I’ve decided to embark on this AI journey. To do so, I’d need first to give you some context.
Earlier this year, I found myself on a Monday morning call where the company I work for communicated a serious reorganization on a global scale. That reorg would lead to the immediate layoff of hundreds of people.
I still have a job probably due to a cosmic twist of fate and a few key factors: My diverse skill set from having worked across multiple departments, the timely recommendation to keep me onboard from both my GM and my Director of Sales , and the flexible convenience of my contractor status.
Sometimes, the best motivation is a kick in the guts
In a truly Thanos fashion, almost everyone around me was snapped out of the company in a matter of weeks. New team members, seasoned sales managers and truly capable people from technical, marketing and operational teams. All gone.
In addition to a strong survivor guilt, I started feeling anxious all the time. One thing is knowing that you could lose your job at any given time and another thing is watching this happen around you to people you admired and worked with for a long time. The idea of “This might happen to me one day” quickly morphs to “When this happens to me I better have a plan B”.
Needless to say I’m very grateful. I have no grudge against the company for its decision. Business is business, and the CEO and board of directors decided, with the interest of stockholders in mind, that it was time to focus all the human, mental, and capital resources on projects with more potential for future revenue. I’ve been there and done that in my own ventures.
While I still have a job, and I really like it, this definitively is THE perfect time to start thinking about what plan B would look like in the case I need to use it.
I ran a reality check, and my professional status looks more or less like this:
Fragile job security + 46 Years old + Canadian Job Market = Yikes!
Current Status
Probably a “normal” response would have been to seek opportunities in the same industry and leverage my sales, technical support, and sales support experience. However, I felt it was good timing to sow seeds for a change and decided to do what any reasonable middle-aged man in my circumstances would do…
Transitioning into a new field. Training myself to become an expert in a very, very complex “emerging” industry (40+ years in the making), crowded with young, capable people full of energy, degrees, and fresh neurons.
I mean… what could possibly go wrong?
Why AI?
and why now?
I feel this is a great opportunity to prepare myself to ride the next big wave. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not claiming that the AI industry is something new (It is not), but it is true that, only recently, humanity created the necessary computing power to give it a proper chance.
While my current position may not seem particularly encouraging, I have no directly relevant background and no professional experience in AI. Still, I believe that building a strong portfolio is one of the best investments I can make.
A portfolio provides tangible evidence of what I can do, not just what I know. Whether I end up interviewing for a full-time role, pursuing freelance opportunities, or building my own AI consulting practice, a solid body of work will significantly improve my chances of success.
So, here we go…
Why a Blog?
Documenting and having everything in one place
John Sonmez’s advice on creating a blog as a form of resume on his book “The Complete Software Developer’s Career Guide”, resonated with me. He suggests that documenting your learning process and experiences can enhance your online presence and showcase your skills to potential employers. Inspired by this, I decided to create this blog to chronicle my journey into the field of AI.
Finally I wouldn’t like the word “Zero” in this blog’s title to communicate the wrong idea about my starting level. I’m close to zero in AI but not in the digital world. I’m a pretty advanced user of multiple platforms, I’ve sold technology and SAAS products for many years and I do have a fair knowledge of HTML, PHP, SQL and Python.
Wish me luck. If you’re curious, follow my story on this blog. I’ll try to keep it updated as I feel it’ll help me digest everything while I learn it.