Introduce "Tool Intelligence"

I want to introduce a new term I've coined: "Tool Intelligence". This is the first post of a series dedicated to this concept. Tool Intelligence refers to the ability to use tools in general, rather than mastery of any specific tool. Let's start by clarifying what "Tool Intelligence" doesn't mean:

• It's not about the intelligence possessed by the tools themselves. Rather, it's about people's intelligence when it comes to using tools.

• The "tools" referred to here are not "tooling" used for orchestrating tools to build something. Instead, it's about tools in the general sense - both hardware and software tools used for any purpose.

Historically, the ability to use tools has been greatly undervalued:

• Skill with tools alone isn't considered a true ability. There's a notion that if you lack true ability, even the best tools won't help, or that a true master never blames their tools.

• Knowing a lot of libraries isn't considered a real programming skill.

• There's an image of someone who just fiddles with tools without ever producing real work, always talking about installing the "best add-ons," using "optimized flows."

However, tool skills are becoming increasingly vital in the current era:

• Nowadays, working is starting to mean juggling multiple tools, just like, for many, their daily work has become tapping on a keyboard in front of monitors.

• Tools are exploding in variety, with startups and makers constantly creating niche tools, not to mention AI.

With so many new tools emerging, what's needed is not just skill with a specific tool, but an overall ability to navigate and utilize tools effectively.

Tools are used in an imbalanced way. Many areas have tools that most people may not even be aware of. Useful tools can no longer be acquired through formal education, workplaces, or handed down from ancestors. Now, people need to proactively find and learn tools as an "extracurricular" activity, which only a small minority have been doing.

While Tool Intelligence may seem like a vague collection of minor tricks, there's no doubt that it makes a significant difference between those who have it and those who don't. The masterful manipulation of tools is one of humanity's most essential and impressive faculties. It's time we acknowledge Tool Intelligence as a core power in its own right. Our slogan should be: "We need more tools, more juggling too!"

The existence of tool intelligence foreshadows a widening gap in people's abilities:

Just as economic development has raised everyone's living standards but also increased polarization, the advancement of tools will enhance everyone's capabilities while widening the divide.

With money, the polarizing force is that the more you have, the easier it is to make even more. Similarly, as tools develop, especially meta-tools and versatile tools, being skilled with tools creates a reinforcing feedback loop that makes it even easier to master additional tools.

The first step to cultivating this ability is simply recognizing that Tool Intelligence exists, so we can be mindful and avoid obvious failures, such as:

• Not even considering that there might be tools out there to help with a specific need or goal

• Considering the possibility, but not following through on the search, and just shrugging, "Guess there's no unexpected useful tool for this"

• Using a tool due to someone's request or chance, but not grasping its purpose, features, meaning, or usage, saying "I tried it but it wasn't great"

I plan to make several more posts about Tool Intelligence, covering topics like:

• How do we recognize tools?

• How do we approach tools?

• How do we compare similar tools?

• How do we understand a tool?

• How do we combine tools?