Ethan Mollick Article Review: Shape of AI: Jaggedness, Bottlenecks, & Salients

Описание: Welcome to episode 176 of the AI for Career Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This educational content is designed to give working professionals who leverage AI as a tool for efficiency and productivity a competitive edge.


In this episode, hosts Daphne and Fred unpack an insightful article by Ethan Mollick, a professor at The Wharton School and well-respected AI thought leader, entitled "The Shape of AI: Jaggedness, Bottlenecks and Salients" that was published on December 20, 2025 (link below).


Mollick describes the Jagged Frontier of artificial intelligence, a concept where software exhibits superhuman capabilities in complex fields like math while simultaneously failing at basic tasks. These inconsistent performance gaps create bottlenecks that prevent full automation, often requiring human intervention to manage edge cases or navigate institutional hurdles.


When researchers target a specific weakness (known as a reverse salient) and solve it, the technology can suddenly advance and unlock previously stagnant capabilities. This uneven growth means that, while AI can drastically accelerate productivity, it often acts as a complement to human expertise rather than a total replacement.


Ultimately, Mollick suggests that tracking these specific barriers is the most effective way to predict the future trajectory of technological labor.


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"It will not be AI that takes away the job of a technical writer, but rather another technical writer with deep AI skills," said Robbins.


I am currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround. — Curt


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＞＞ Read the Mollick article: https://tinyurl.com/52x6eubj


＞＞ Read the Robbins article "The Year AI Went Nuclear: Six Largest M&A Deals of 2025": https://tinyurl.com/2vys3mrm


＞＞ Read the Robbins article "The Global AI Race: America vs. China": https://tinyurl.com/2uckj7wy


＞＞ Read the Robbins article "Understanding AI Hallucinations in Technical Writing": https://tinyurl.com/bdeyd64t


＞＞ Read the Robbins article "Yale Study: Impact of AI on the Job Market": https://tinyurl.com/f3cuvvxn


＞＞ Read the Robbins article "Why Large Language Models are Changing the World": https://tinyurl.com/bdfv63ca


＞＞ Read the Robbins article "Understanding Anthropic: Rising Star in AI": https://tinyurl.com/46btw22z


＞＞ Read the Robbins article "Comparing ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, & Grok": https://tinyurl.com/3zwttxhk


＞＞ Read the Robbins article "AI Job Replacement Fears Are Good. Here's Why.": https://tinyurl.com/p5t27t7d


＞＞ Join the LinkedIn group AI for Career Success: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td


＞＞ Subscribe to the Technical Writing Success podcast: https://tinyurl.com/uu9hpyzt


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