Tech companies are racing to add AI to everything, but most people don’t actually want their daily tasks automated. A new analysis shows Silicon Valley executives suffer from “software brain” – seeing the world only through algorithms and databases.
This explains why we get AI features nobody asked for, like smart fridges that order groceries automatically or AI assistants that book meetings without checking your actual preferences first. Tech leaders assume everyone thinks like programmers.
The Automation Nobody Ordered
The problem starts in boardrooms where executives ask “how can we automate this?” instead of “do people want this automated?” They see inefficiencies everywhere that need fixing with AI, but regular folks often prefer doing things themselves.
Take restaurant ordering. Tech companies spent millions building AI phone systems to take orders automatically. But customers got frustrated with robots that couldn’t handle simple changes like “no onions.” Many restaurants quietly switched back to human staff.
The same pattern repeats everywhere. Dating apps added AI to write your messages. Email programs got AI that responds automatically. Photo apps now sort your pictures using facial recognition. Each feature solves a problem most users didn’t know they had.
What People Really Want
Most people want technology that helps them do things better, not technology that does things for them. They want GPS directions, not self-driving cars. They want spell-check, not AI that writes their emails.
Expect this trend to continue as companies realize their expensive AI features go unused. The most successful tech products will likely be the ones that give people more control, not less.
