Founder of ‘Not Boring’ Shares How He Uses AI to Enhance his Writing

Packy McCormick, founder of the influential tech newsletter Not Boring, reveals how he leverages AI tools like Claude to enhance his writing and research process, offering insights into the evolving landscape of content creation and analysis in the tech industry.

The rise of “techno-industrial” focus: Packy McCormick has shifted his attention to companies at the intersection of technology and traditional industries, exploring how technological advancements are reshaping established sectors.

• McCormick’s current writing emphasis reflects a broader trend in the tech world, where innovative technologies are being applied to transform legacy industries.
• This focus allows for a deeper exploration of how emerging technologies like AI and automation are impacting real-world business operations and economic structures.
• The shift highlights the growing importance of understanding the practical applications of cutting-edge technologies beyond purely digital domains.

AI-assisted research and writing process: McCormick utilizes AI tools, particularly Claude, to streamline his research, editing, and ideation processes, demonstrating the potential of AI to augment human creativity and productivity.

• Claude assists McCormick in quickly gathering and synthesizing information from various sources, enabling him to cover complex topics more efficiently.
• The AI tool helps in generating outlines, suggesting alternative phrasings, and even creating interactive visuals to enhance the reader’s understanding of complex concepts.
• McCormick emphasizes that while AI is a powerful assistant, human judgment and creativity remain central to producing high-quality, insightful content.

Practical applications of AI in content creation: The interview showcases concrete examples of how AI can be applied to enhance various aspects of the writing and analysis process.

• McCormick demonstrates using Claude to create a custom grading rubric for his essays, illustrating how AI can be leveraged for self-improvement and quality control in writing.
• The AI tool’s ability to generate interactive visuals from text descriptions opens up new possibilities for presenting complex information in more engaging and accessible formats.
• Claude’s capacity to analyze and summarize lengthy documents or datasets allows writers like McCormick to quickly extract key insights and identify relevant information.

Balancing AI assistance with human expertise: McCormick’s approach underscores the importance of finding the right balance between leveraging AI capabilities and maintaining human oversight and creativity.

• While AI tools can significantly enhance productivity and provide valuable insights, McCormick stresses the need for human judgment in interpreting and contextualizing the information provided by AI.
• The interview highlights how AI can serve as a powerful brainstorming partner, helping to generate ideas and explore different angles on a topic.
• McCormick’s experience suggests that the most effective use of AI in writing and research involves a collaborative approach, with humans directing the overall process and making final editorial decisions.

Implications for the future of content creation: McCormick’s insights point to a future where AI-assisted content creation becomes increasingly prevalent, potentially reshaping the landscape of journalism, analysis, and thought leadership.

• The integration of AI tools in the writing process could lead to more data-driven and comprehensive analyses, as writers gain the ability to process and synthesize vast amounts of information more efficiently.
• As AI capabilities continue to advance, there may be a growing need for content creators to develop skills in effectively directing and collaborating with AI assistants.
• The potential democratization of advanced research and analysis tools through AI could lower barriers to entry for aspiring writers and analysts, potentially leading to a more diverse range of voices in tech commentary and journalism.

Evolving investment landscape: McCormick’s focus on “techno-industrial” companies reflects broader shifts in the investment world, where the lines between technology and traditional industries are increasingly blurred.

• This trend suggests that investors and analysts may need to develop a more interdisciplinary approach, combining deep tech knowledge with understanding of specific industries and their unique challenges.
• The emphasis on companies applying cutting-edge technology to traditional sectors could signal new opportunities for value creation and disruption across various industries.
• McCormick’s approach highlights the importance of identifying companies that can effectively bridge the gap between innovative technologies and real-world applications in established markets.

The future of AI-human collaboration: The interview provides a glimpse into the potential future of knowledge work, where AI tools become integral partners in the creative and analytical process.

• As AI capabilities continue to expand, professionals across various fields may need to adapt their workflows to effectively leverage these tools while maintaining their unique human insights and creativity.
• The example set by McCormick suggests that embracing AI assistance can lead to more efficient and comprehensive work, potentially raising the bar for quality and depth in content creation and analysis.
• However, the interview also underscores the ongoing importance of human judgment, creativity, and critical thinking in producing truly valuable and insightful work, even as AI tools become more sophisticated.