Japanese martial arts traditions call these three stages of learning shu-ha-ri: first following rules faithfully (shu), then breaking from tradition (ha), and finally transcending formal structure altogether (ri). What makes this framework so revelatory for any AI doomsday discussion is how it illuminates the evolving relationship between algorithms and human expertise.

The difference between machine intelligence and human insight isn't merely philosophical—it reflects a fundamental transformation in how insight happens.

To understand this transformation, consider how a chef's relationship with recipes changes throughout their career.

A culinary student follows recipes with meticulous precision, measuring ingredients exactly and timing processes carefully. Deviation from the recipe typically leads to failure. The novice brand strategist operates similarly, rigorously applying frameworks learned in education—positioning templates, consumer journey maps, and creative briefs—as if they were reliable recipes for strategic success.

The mid-career chef begins breaking from recipes, understanding when to substitute ingredients or modify techniques based on context. They know when a dish needs more acid or when to adjust cooking time for different equipment. Similarly, the experienced strategist adapts frameworks to specific situations, combining different methodologies and modifying "best practices" based on industry context or brand maturity.

But the master chef eventually transcends recipes entirely. They create dishes based solely on intuition, using ingredient combinations and techniques not found in any cookbook. They're not just modifying existing recipes but creating new cuisines. The master strategist operates at a similar level, having so deeply internalized the underlying principles or brand strategy that they sense possibilities invisible to others, developing solutions uniquely tailored to each challenge.

Current AI systems excel at the shu stage—they can follow established frameworks with extraordinary precision. They're rapidly developing capabilities in the ha stage—adapting approaches to specific contexts and suggesting variations. But they remain fundamentally limited in the ri stage—the domain of intuitive wisdom where entirely new patterns emerge from accumulated experience.

https://adrian518.substack.com/p/ai-is-rewriting-the-rules-of-marketing

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