By Gary Waldon
AI is reinventing the kids’ game of Leapfrog into a serious, high-stakes business, with players vying for the Master of the Universe title. We have become players in this multi-dimensional, hyper-paced game, as we try to stay on top of each new release. Here are 5 old-school strategies to take back control and help you win at AI leapfrog.
I have never been a gamer, but I think the pace of AI is making me into one. We are all caught up in a high-paced game of AI Leapfrog, and here is how we can get the upper hand.
The rules of playground leapfrog are simple, you all line up, crouch down, and then the person at the back leapfrogs over the players in front, until they reach the head of the line. Then the next person at the back has their turn. It can go on forever, as there is no real winner, it’s just good fun. However, AI Leapfrog turns this kids’ game into serious high-stakes business, where the winner could be crowned Master of the Universe. Here is how it’s playing out. OpenAI releases GPT-XX. Days later, Google counters with Gemini updates. Not to be outdone, Grok jumps in with a native integration. Anthropic quietly upgrades Claude. Meta makes a move. Apple hints. Microsoft flexes. Then OpenAI leaps again.
While it may seem that, as mere mortals, we are just observers, however in reality we are also players in this multi-dimensional, hyper-paced game. While the trillion-dollar stakes are the prizes for the key AI players, we also have a lot at stake. The costs became obvious the other day when a friend asked how she could create a business plan using AI. As a transformational specialist, I wanted to ensure I gave the best advice, so I asked which AI she was subscribed to. She responded, “none, I don’t know which one is best”. As I rattled off the various benefits of the main players, I realised my overview was probably only current for that exact point in time. Things change in days, sometimes hours, as the next AI release leapfrogs its way to the front, leaving us wishing we hadn’t committed our hard-earned dollars to subscribing to something already outdated.
I pay subscriptions to three of the main players, but am guilty of yearning for an endless budget to allow me to subscribe to all of them. “Imagine what we could achieve,” the creative and business voices inside my head argue. However, there is a larger cost to pay for trying to stay ahead in AI leapfrog. There is the obvious financial hit, but there is an even greater personal price as we become more AI addicted. We can spend endless hours trying to master the latest releases, researching YouTube clips titled “Here are 10 insane AI things you need right now”, or similar. Or create business plans for ideas we don’t have the time, or the money, to bring to reality because we are too busy trying to stay in the leapfrogging race.
Here are 5 old-school playground strategies you should play right now to help you reinvent and win at AI leapfrog.
1. Only leap when it’s your turn
Take the pressure off trying to be over everything. You don’t need to jump every time an AI player makes a move. AI Leapfrog will continue to play out at breakneck pace, with or without you. What would happen if you didn’t play this round? If you miss your turn, you will get another chance to rejoin and play again when you are ready. Take control, and avoid comparisonitis by sticking to your game, not playing someone else’s.
2. Stick the landing before your next jump
The pace AI leapfrog is played, often leaves us feeling like there is no time to get our footing, causing anxiety and a fear of missing out. Voices of self-doubt and not being enough will only get louder if you don’t allow yourself a win and celebrate it before you keep playing. Remember, trying every new tool isn’t mastery, it’s struggling to keep up. Get to know a few tools well before moving on to the next one. Mastering three is better than having tried twenty.
3. Build your personalised AI toolkit
Start building your personal AI toolkit that will help you get your job done. Maybe use GPT-XX for writing, Perplexity for research, Claude for summarising, and Firefly for design. Or, keep it simple, and maybe one AI tool can do your job well enough. Allowing you to compromise on those costly less critical traits . Choose tools that help you achieve your goals by playing your game, not the leaderboard.
4. Ask these questions to avoid AI overload
Before leaping into anything new, run it through this filter:
- Why am I interested in the new functionality?
- Will it help me achieve my goals?
- Can I succeed without it?
- Does it inspire or excite me?
If it doesn’t meet at least three, skip it until the next round.
5. Make it a game, not a grind
These are exciting times, and the AI game should excite you, not create unnecessary anxiety. If you find yourself in survival mode, then you are no longer playing a game, you are working to keep your fear under control. AI tools should expand your thinking, creativity and skills, not drain you. If managing your AI toolbox is more work than the tasks it was meant to simplify, it’s time to reassess.
The game of AI leapfrog will continue to play out with, or without us. And because leapfrog is a game without an end, we can choose to step in and out as it suits us. Any changes in the AI leaders board will become inconsequential history when we choose to rejoin the game, because we will be playing in the most up-to-date AI ecosystem. With a reinvention mindset we will be able to quickly adapt and bring ourselves up to speed, allowing us to succeed in the latest game. So, take back control and remember change is inevitable, however reinvention should be intentional.
Gary Waldon
