Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

People like to ask me about 'tools' for this and that, which is fair enough, as this is how we've defined digital technology for decades. But today we're at the point where we don't need tools (or, more accurately, the early adopters are at that point). If you want software to perform some function for you, you just ask an AI to create it for you, and you have the precise tool you need. Now it still takes a bit of skill to do and the AI isn't perfect, but then again, commercial software has always had its quirks as well. But what you won't need is some tool someone is trying to sell tou you (though I would imagine there will be a lot of trading between people of the AI tools they've created - GitHub is going to hit a scaling issue pretty soon). Any how, this article talks about how companies are going to hang on to their competitive edge - "seven distinct ways in which companies develop robust competitive advantages: Scale, network effects, counterpositioning, switching costs, brand, cornered resources, and process power." Image: Marginal Futility

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Mar 02, 2026 2:39 p.m.

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