Dear AI Companies: I Don’t Need a Digital Best Friend. I Need a Button.
From Clippy-era interruptions to modern AI popups, the problem is the same.
I like AI.
Actually, I like AI a lot.
And that’s exactly why we need to have a conversation.
I was one of those people who heard the early whispers about ChatGPT before it became everywhere. I remember seeing the tech news, wondering what this new thing was, and eventually going to the website to try it myself.
My first prompt?
“Are you planning to take over the human race?”
😂
Yes. That was my introduction.
Not because I hated AI. Because I’m an IT person. When new technology shows up, my brain immediately starts asking:
What is it?
How does it work?
What can it do?
And should we be concerned?
That’s the IT mindset.
But here’s the thing I’ve learned after 30 years in technology:
The best technology doesn’t force itself into your life.
It earns its place there.
⸻
We’ve Been Here Before
If you worked with computers in the 1990s, you probably remember a certain little paperclip.
Clippy.
Microsoft created Clippy to make computers easier and more approachable. The idea was simple:
“People need help. Let’s create an assistant.”
The problem?
Nobody asked Clippy to show up every five seconds.
You would open Microsoft Word to write a document and suddenly:
“It looks like you’re writing a letter. Would you like help?”
And millions of users had the same reaction:
“Yes, Clippy. I know I’m writing a letter. That is literally why I opened Word.” 😂
The problem wasn’t that people hated assistance.
The problem was that Clippy interrupted.
⸻
Fast Forward 30 Years
Today, we have something far more powerful.
AI assistants can summarize information, help write documents, troubleshoot problems, generate ideas, and automate tasks that would have seemed impossible a few years ago.
That’s amazing.
But somewhere along the way, some companies forgot the lesson Clippy taught us:
Users want control.
I don’t hate AI.
I hate being chased by AI.
There’s a difference.
⸻
I Don’t Need Another Digital Roommate
The modern AI assistant is everywhere.
In messaging apps.
In browsers.
In search.
In productivity tools.
Sometimes before I even ask for help, I’m already being asked:
“Can I help?”
And my answer is:
“If I need you, I know where to find you.” 😂
Give me a button.
Let me choose.
That’s the difference between a helpful assistant and an interruption.
⸻
The Future of AI Is Trust
I’ve spent decades in IT, and one thing has always been true:
The best tools are the ones people actually want to use.
A good assistant doesn’t interrupt your workflow.
It improves it.
A good automation doesn’t take over.
It supports you.
A good technology experience doesn’t make the user feel like they’re fighting the software.
It makes the user feel empowered.
⸻
Dear AI Companies…
Keep building.
Keep innovating.
Keep making incredible technology.
But remember what Clippy taught us:
People don’t dislike help.
People dislike being interrupted.
The future of AI won’t belong to the assistant that appears everywhere.
It will belong to the assistant people trust enough to invite in.
Because we don’t need AI knocking on our door every five minutes asking if we need something.
Sometimes the smartest thing an assistant can do…
is wait.
💻
