Many of us have grown up hearing stories from our parents and elders about how they overcame hardships to grow in life.Tales of cycling long distances, braving extreme weather, studying under dim streetlights, or borrowing tattered books from generous neighbors were common.

These stories, while inspiring, are more a reflection of the times and the technological constraints of that era than prescriptive guides to being smart.

Interestingly, those who went on to thrive often shared one trait: they were early adopters of new tools and technologies. Even being a few days or weeks ahead in embracing innovations often made a world of difference.

The modern-day struggle isn’t about finding light to study under, but about navigating a flood of information online. We jump from one article to another, wading through clickbait headlines, popup ads, biased opinions, and regurgitated content, just to answer one question.

And yet, talking about using ChatGPT or Large Language Models (LLMs) at school, college, or the workplace is still taboo. Just like calculators were once frowned upon in the classroom, ChatGPT is seen by some as a shortcut, a crutch, or even a cheat.

But remember how those who embraced calculators, mobile phones, or computers early on eventually developed the digital agility that set them apart? The same pattern is repeating now.

Interns and young professionals are sometimes advised to “not rely on ChatGPT” and to “learn the hard way.” But what if the real skill today is not just reading everything, but knowing what to ask, how to filter information, and how to arrive at insights quickly? That’s exactly what ChatGPT and similar tools enable.

Progress Always Favors the Bold

History is a testament to how progress has always been led by those who embraced the tools of their time.

When early humans discovered stones could be used as tools, they didn’t wait for consensus, they used them and changed survival itself. When agriculture emerged, those who transitioned from hunter-gatherer life to settled farming created civilizations.

During the Renaissance, knowledge was no longer hoarded but printed and shared thanks to the printing press, giving power to the reader.

The Industrial Revolution didn’t reward those who resisted steam engines or factories, it favored those who adopted machines and scaled production.

Every leap, from stones to ploughs, from scripts to printing presses, from typewriters to computers, favored the curious and the bold. And each time, these leaps faced resistance. The scribes opposed the printing press, fearing the loss of control over knowledge. Luddites destroyed machines during the Industrial Revolution, worried about losing traditional jobs. When computers entered offices, many seasoned professionals hesitated, while the early adopters went on to lead in the digital age. Ironically, the very people who resisted at first often quietly embraced the new tools later and reaped their benefits, once the social resistance had faded.

Resistance and Rediscovery

The idea of resisting the new before eventually embracing it is hardly new. Throughout history, innovation has often been met with skepticism, only to be accepted later as obvious and indispensable.

Arthur Schopenhauer captured this in his famous observation: “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as self-evident.”

Similarly, the phrase “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) echoes the cyclical nature of ideas. Much of what we consider groundbreaking is often a rediscovery or reimagining of earlier truths, an evolution of thought rather than its invention.

Even Aristotle believed that knowledge was cumulative, that each generation builds upon the insights of those before it.

And that brings us to our time.

The Age of Language Models

Today’s leap is no different. Large Language Models (LLMs) are the tools of this age. Ignoring them is like refusing to use iron while others wield steel. They are not shortcuts but multipliers, just as spectacles don’t make someone wise, but help them see clearly. LLMs enhance our ability to think, communicate, and create at scale.

This is not about hype, it’s about historical inevitability. Those who understand and apply the new tools early are the ones who lead, again and again.

So the question isn’t whether this is useful. It’s whether you’re willing to be one of those who act, early and decisively, just like others did in every era before us.

The future belongs to those who adapt, not those who cling to outdated norms. Just like reading and writing were once revolutionary skills, digital literacy and AI fluency are the new enablers.

The real question isn’t “Should you use ChatGPT?” It is “How soon will you learn to use it better than anyone else?”

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Start today. Ask, learn, grow.

And maybe one day, you’ll tell stories too, not of overcoming old-world hardships, but of how you crossed the chasm of information overload and built a smarter, faster, and more agile mind with the help of an LLM.