Monday’s email about good software getting out of the way triggered more responses than any other I’ve ever sent.
And they all went just about like this: “I wish the worst upon the makers of <software platform> for adding <AI feature> that can’t be disabled”.
That’s a great example of featuritis, the compulsion to constantly twiddle with the platform to please the people who own it rather than the people who, you know, actually use it.
It usually goes something like this:
- Company adds AI feature
- Users: I don’t want this, it’s irritating, how do I turn it off?
- Company: You can’t, we built it that way. Computer says no.
- Company, to shareholders: Good news everyone! Our new AI feature has a 100% adoption rate!
- Press: AI is the future!
These days, just bug fixing software that works or adding useful features only when they’re really needed isn’t enough, because companies are constantly pressured to show visible “progress” in order to justify subscriptions, one-up the competition, and satisfy investors. Reliability doesn’t make good powerpoint slides. Shiny new buttons do.
So the features keep getting slapped on, impressive in demos but simply annoying in daily use. Meanwhile, the customers, who just want software that does its job, are treated like an obstacle.
Then AI adds a fresh layer of FOMO to the mix, because no one wants to be the one who “missed the boat”.
Good platforms do exist but they, understandably, make less noise.
Colin