Not an AI pioneer? You don’t have to be
EA Vivi Whitfield shares 4 smart strategies to stay ahead with AI as an enthusiastic follower.
Let's be honest: not everyone's racing to be on the AI frontier.. and that's OK.
Some of you reading this are AI pioneers. You’re restless and relentlessly curious, always looking for the shiniest new AI tools.
Others? You like to wait. See how it shakes out. Let others test the waters before you dive in. This edition dedicated to you, the enthusiastic follower.
Because you have an important role as an AI champion, too.
In this edition, I wanted to spotlight a fantastic EA I spoke to about this concept: Vivi Whitfield.
Vivi's not an AI pioneer, and she'll be the first to tell you that.
But she is a curious, thoughtful, and intentional learner — someone who's figured out how to make AI work for her without the overwhelm.
Vivi’s what I call an enthusiastic follower, and change management experts might call part of the Early Majority — the group that waits for proof before moving but then drives an idea forward, past its tipping point (Rogers, Diffusion of Innovations, 2003). Being both curious and cautious is normal. In fact, it’s critical to make change spread and stick.
So I want to share 4 top tips from Vivi on how to be an AI champion, even when your style is a little quieter, and leans more observant than experimental. (All quotes below directly from Vivi!)
🛟 Vivi’s AI survival strategy for non-pioneers
Strategy no. 1: Find and lean on your pioneer
Vivi's secret weapon? A colleague who lives on the AI frontier.
"She tries all the new stuff, then throws me the gold nuggets. I don't have to trawl through the mud to find them — just stay close and ask questions."
👋🏻 Hey pioneers reading this, why don’t you forward it to the enthusiastic followers in your team?
Strategy no. 2: Subscribe — but skim smart
Vivi's inbox is full of newsletters. She doesn't read every one, but clicks judiciously when a headline speaks to her. Great way to learn by osmosis!
Here are Vivi’s and my own personal newsletter recommendations:
EA How To for great events (subscribe at bottom of linked page)
Lucy Brazier’s Take Five for weekly tips (subscribe at bottom of linked page)
Cliff Notes for a weekly AI news briefing from Cliff Worley
The Carve Edge, of course 🤍
"Even if I delete most of them, every now and then there's a tip that changes everything. It's worth it."
Strategy no. 3: Set a low-pressure goal
Even a tiny, low-pressure goal gives you direction — a north star to move towards.
"I made it a professional goal to learn one new tool this financial year. That's it. It's simple, but it keeps me engaged."
Strategy no. 4: Create a 30-min monthly check-in
Once a month, Vivi blocks time to reflect — not on tasks, but on trends.
She reviews industry changes, checks out new tools, and thinks strategically about how AI fits into her career.
"I call it my reflection time. I use it to zoom out and stay aligned with what matters."
If you want to take it further, take a deeper pulse every quarter. Set aside an hour or two to take stock of where you are with your personal and professional goals, and set some new targets for the quarter ahead.
Vivi uses a simple spreadsheet for this:
Columns = a timeline (each column is a snapshot date)
Rows = key areas of her work and life (e.g., goals, projects, skills).
In each cell she types a few words on her current status ("good", "needs work", etc.)
..and of course you can open your favorite AI chatbot here to use as a thought partner and coach to sharpen your goals.
The bottom line? You don’t have to lead the charge to shape the future.
What my conversations with Vivi have shown me is that strategy and curiosity are just as powerful as experimentation.
I thought this might resonate with some of you. Let me know if it did — and which of these strategies you’re committing to trying yourself.
All my best,
Fi
p.s. We’re opening pre-enrollment for the next round of Carve AI tomorrow, exclusively for folks on the waitlist (public enrollment opens Friday). Sign up to the waitlist today for early access.