One billion ChatGPT users by the end of 2025. That's what Sam Altman projected last week. That means that one in every eight humans on this planet would actively be using the same AI tool and actually making it part of their workflow. I can’t think of the last time any technology hit that kind of adoption curve.

As mind boggling as that may sound, what this means is that AI skills alone won't cut it as a differentiator anymore.

Soon, generating decent content, code, or designs with AI assistance will be as ordinary as putting “proficient at excel” on your resume. The question keeping me up at night lately is—What will separate extraordinary professionals from the merely competent when everyone has the same technological superpowers at their fingertips.

I think it comes down to four distinctly human qualities: taste, charm, genuine connections, and unique perspective. In this two-part newsletter series, I'll explore why these qualities are becoming your most valuable assets and the fundamental source of your professional worth.

Welcome to Catalyst—your bi-weekly insights on emerging fintech and Web3 trends, a behind-the-scenes look at some of the top players in the space, and actionable strategies you can implement today. No fluff. No basic takes. Just clear insights on what's actually happening in fintech. 💻

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Will’s Picks

A few things I’ve loved reading this week—

• Building a Signal-Based Tech Stack Without Engineering Degrees

• How to Discover Your Own Taste

• How I’m (actually) using AI in my content workflow

• How to have good taste

• AI art: The end of creativity or the start of a new movement?

The Great Equalization

Once upon a time, having a website was a competitive advantage.

Just a few years ago, using social media for marketing made you innovative and mobile optimization put you ahead of competitors.

Eventually, these innovations became standard expectations—table stakes just to stay in the game. The early advantage disappeared as adoption spread.

AI is following this same pattern of commoditization, just at unprecedented speed.

Within 12-24 months, AI capabilities will be embedded in virtually every tool we use. Microsoft is already integrating AI across its entire product suite. Adobe, Salesforce, and virtually every major software platform is doing the same. The ability to leverage AI has become the new normal.

This rapid standardization raises a critical question: If everyone has access to the same AI capabilities, what will truly differentiate individuals and organizations?

Taste: The Irreplaceable Human Quality

To start, we should probably unpack what exactly “taste” is.

I was listening to an interview with Ezra Klein where Kyle Chayka, an expert on taste in and internet age, defined it as “knowing who you are and knowing what you like, and then being able to look outside of yourself, see the world around you, and then pick out the one thing from around you that does resonate with you, that makes you feel like you are who you are or that you can incorporate into your mindset and worldview.”

It is the ability to make discerning judgments about quality, appropriateness, and value and having a vision for what “good” or even “great” or “excellent” looks like before it exists. It's knowing which details matter and which don't.

As AI democratizes the execution of work, taste becomes the irreplaceable human element that gives direction to these powerful tools.

Consider the difference between:

• Asking AI to "create a financial analysis of Company X"

• Asking AI to create a specific analysis that answers the questions your clients actually care about, presented in a way that makes complex data immediately understandable

The second approach requires taste—an understanding of what matters, what doesn't, and how information should be presented to create maximum value. This discernment can't be automated because it stems from human experience, intuition, and judgment.

In practical terms, taste manifests as:

1. Discernment: Recognizing quality differences that others miss

2. Restraint: Understanding when to stop adding features

3. Coherence: Creating experiences that feel intentional and unified

4. Distinction: Developing a voice that stands apart from the crowd

While AI can execute based on your direction, it cannot tell you what's worth pursuing in the first place. That critical judgment remains exclusively human.

The Hidden Value of Taste in Fintech

In fintech specifically, taste manifests in understanding which problems are worth solving and how solutions should feel to users. It's knowing when technological capability should be prominent and when it should be invisible.

Consider a recent example from the payment infrastructure space. Two major players, Stripe and PayPal, have taken dramatically different approaches to cryptocurrency integration:

• PayPal built vertically, creating their PYUSD stablecoin and focusing on consumer-facing applications

• Stripe invested horizontally, acquiring Bridge for $1.1B to handle complex payment flows involving multiple parties

Both companies have access to similar technology. What differentiates them is taste—their judgment about which approach creates more value for their specific users and business models.

This pattern repeats across fintech:

• Some neobanks focus on flashy features and struggle with profitability

• Others apply taste to identify the few features that truly matter to their target customers, creating sustainable businesses

As the technical barriers to entry continue to fall, taste in identifying the right problems and designing appropriate solutions will become the primary differentiator between successful and unsuccessful fintech ventures.

The Homogenization Challenge

One concerning trend I've noticed is the growing standardization of expression online. Research shows our language is becoming increasingly homogenized. We're using similar words and phrases more frequently, reducing what linguists call "lexical richness."

AI accelerates this homogenization dramatically.

When everyone uses the same models with similar prompts, we get increasingly similar outputs. Look at LinkedIn right now—how many AI-generated posts can you spot? They have a certain sameness to them, a recognizable formula that becomes more apparent the more you see it.

This standardization creates an enormous opportunity for those who maintain a distinct perspective. When everyone sounds the same, genuine originality becomes extraordinarily valuable.

Some practical ways to preserve your distinctive voice:

1. Curate personal inspiration: Build a collection of ideas, references, and examples that resonate specifically with you

2. Combine unexpected influences: Draw inspiration from domains outside your immediate field

3. Trust your intuition: Sometimes the most valuable insights can't be justified with data

4. Embrace imperfection: The rough edges often make your work more authentically human

The Rising Value of Human Connection

Despite all our digital tools, building meaningful connections remains as challenging as ever. LinkedIn might make finding people easier, but building trust still requires time, consistency, and reciprocity.

Opportunities rarely come from algorithms. They come from people who know, like, and trust you.

The strongest networks are built on qualities AI cannot replicate:

1. Reciprocity: Giving without immediate expectation of return

2. Vulnerability: Sharing challenges alongside successes

3. Consistency: Showing up reliably over time

4. Genuine interest: Caring about others beyond transactional value

Your network functions as a powerful advantage in the AI era because:

• Decision-makers still prefer working with people they know and trust

• Recommendations from real people outweigh algorithmic matches

• Collaborators choose partners they enjoy working with, not just technically competent ones

• Inside information rarely comes through public channels

The irony is striking—as technology makes superficial connection easier, authentic connection becomes more valuable.

From Outputs to Outcomes

Many professionals define their value by what they produce—reports, designs, code, analyses, but this puts you in direct competition with increasingly capable AI. Instead, consider redefining your value in terms of outcomes—the measurable business results you help create or contribute to. This shift is crucial because AI excels at generating outputs and is rapidly improving. Even if you're better than AI, the speed/cost advantages of AI are overwhelming, and the gap between human and AI capability is closing faster than most realize.

A content marketer, for example, might currently spend most of their time writing blog posts, emails, and social content. AI can already handle much of this production at a reasonable quality level—and that quality is improving rapidly, but a truly valuable content marketer puts the right content in front of the right audience at the right time to drive business results. That strategic direction—knowing what to create, for whom, and when—requires taste and judgment that AI doesn't possess.

Coming Next Week: Part 2

In next week's newsletter, I'll dive into the remaining two components of the human edge: charm and unique perspective. I'll also share concrete strategies for maintaining your distinctly human advantage while leveraging AI as a powerful force multiplier.

Until then, I'd love to hear your thoughts. How are you seeing the value of taste and human connection play out in your industry? Reply to this email and let me know.