Poem on kenji.blog

The Wall of AI Development

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 21:52:42 +0900

The Wall of AI Development

〜Made it to the 8th station, but from there it was hell〜

Hello, I’m kenji.

Recently, I’ve been hearing a ton of people saying, “I asked AI and it made an app for me!” We’ve moved past the era of no-code and low-code, and are entering a phase of “vibe coding” (writing code by feel).

For example, if you say, “Make an app that processes images and posts them to SNS,” AI will spit out the code and even the UI. It’s amazing, you’d think we don’t need humans anymore, right?

But you know, that’s like landing at the 8th station of Mount Fuji in sandals.

Getting to the 8th station looks “easy”

Development with AI is really easy at first. File I/O? It runs for now. Network? Well, it connects. Database? JSON is fine. UI? ChatGPT spit out React code. Billing? Just copy-paste the Stripe API.

Here, you get the illusion of “Am I an engineer now?”. But the real hell begins from here.

Why you get stuck

The reason is simple: “AI makes it look like it’s done, but leaves the final adjustments entirely to humans.”

Data gets lost in File I/O
DB normalization is weak so searches are slow
UI is not intuitive
Crashes from access concentration because no load testing was done
Rejected by Apple/Google review
(Almost) causes an uproar by violating legal requirements

In other words, **AI is good at creating a prototype that looks like a finished product , but ** finishing it into a product that actually works in the real world is still a human’s job today.

But there’s a paradox

Here you notice one paradox.

What if AI becomes able to truly do everything in the future? In other words, what if “AI can perfectly handle security, billing, and design all by itself”?

At that time, the need for humanity to create apps itself might disappear.

Because if a user directly tells the AI, “I want to do this kind of thing,” the task will be executed immediately without an app.

🌀For example

In the past, we “launched a calculator app to calculate”, but now it’s done just by saying, “Hey Siri, what’s 12 x 32?”.

In the same way, if you say “AI, process this photo and share it”, the process might be completed without going through any app UI or API.

In other words, when the goal of “making apps with AI” is realized, a world where apps themselves are unnecessary might arrive.

In the end, what we can do now

So, what should we do?

Right now, “above the 8th station” is still the human domain, so polish that
Focus on essential user understanding and service design
Think about “what’s valuable” rather than “what can be made”
Rather, explore ways of providing value that are “not bound by the format of an app”

AI is a tool, a lift, and sometimes a competitor. But, “what to make” and “why to make it” remain questions for us humans.

Conclusion:

The wall of AI development is not a paradox of technology, but of structure

An era where anyone can get to the 8th station of Mount Fuji. But the real thing starts from there.

And by the time we reach the summit, a future might be waiting where we ask ourselves, “Did we even need to climb the mountain?”.

Market-In and Product-Out

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 20:18:22 +0900

Market-In vs. Product-Out

Hello, this is kenji.

Sometimes in business books or proposals,

“We use a market-in strategy.” “This is a product-out approach, isn’t it?”

You see people saying things like this, but…

Wait, market-in? Product-out? Which one is better???

Don’t you ever feel that way?

So this time, I want to break down these terms “market-in” and “product-out” as simply as possible, with a slightly critical eye.

Simply put…

Market-in: Listening to the voice of the market and creating products that match it.
Product-out: Creating what you think is good (the product) and putting it out into the world.

That’s it. Simple.

For example, with a ramen shop…

A market-in ramen shop would be like, “Iekei ramen is popular lately. Alright, let’s go with plenty of fat and garlic!”

A product-out ramen shop would be like, “This soy milk basil salt ramen I made is seriously the best, so eat it.”

Which one is the correct answer… Both are.

With market-in, you cater to customer needs, so “the probability of it selling is high,” but it’s hard to produce breakthrough ideas or innovations.

With product-out, you “give shape to the justice you believe in,” so it’s edgy and attractive, but if you miss the mark, it won’t resonate with anyone.

The iPhone is quite product-out

Apple released the iPhone in an era when people were saying “I don’t need a smartphone.”

This is completely a successful example of product-out.

If they had just listened to users, they would have been told “A phone without a keyboard? Impossible,” and that would have been the end of it.

But product-out can easily become “self-satisfaction”

Sometimes there are companies or people who say, “We are a product-out type,” but

Wait, isn’t that just ignoring the user?

I sometimes think that.

“I made it because I wanted to. But it didn’t sell.” That’s not product-out, that’s “self-indulgent-out.”

Market-in has pitfalls too

On the other hand, market-in is not omnipotent either.

If you say, “I’ll do everything because the users want it!”, the core of the product gets blurred, and in the end, it might not resonate with anyone.

It’s like when you keep adding features, and before you know it, it’s become a chaotic tool.

The ones who are truly amazing are “those doing both”

Amazing products perfectly present “something users truly wanted but couldn’t put into words.”

In other words, it means “getting market-in style empathy with a product-out mindset.”

It’s easy to say, but incredibly difficult to do. However, if you can pull this off, it instantly becomes a “god-tier product.”

Conclusion: User reaction is everything, not words

Market-in or product-out. Which is right is a pretty meaningless question.

“Is it properly reaching the users’ hearts?” That’s everything, I think.

I feel like saying “we’re doing this kind of strategy” is fine as long as you can write it in marketing materials later.

So, that was a talk about market-in and product-out!

Without being confused by weird loanwords, thinking about “In the end, what will make people happy?” is the healthiest approach, I think.

See you around~.

What it Takes to Avoid Falling for Conspiracy Theories

Mon, 26 May 2025 22:23:34 +0900

“Mental Security” Needed to Avoid Being Drawn into Conspiracy Theories

When browsing the internet, you may sometimes come across “conspiracy theory”-like stories.

“Isn’t there someone operating behind the scenes of this event?” “Could the real truth be hidden?” Many of you have probably seen such narratives spread in a plausible manner.

To avoid being drawn too deeply into such information, it is very important to develop not only “knowledge” and “thinking skills” but also your state of mind—in other words, your “mental security.”

Here are six effective ways of thinking for this purpose.

Do Not Immediately Connect Anxiety with an “Answer”

A major characteristic of conspiracy theories is that they present a clear and simple “answer” to anxieties and questions.

For example, to questions like:

“Why did such an incident happen?”
“Who is benefiting from this?”

When a plot like “Actually, XX is manipulating things behind the scenes” is shown, it is easy to inadvertently be convinced.

However, especially when you feel anxious, it is important to reserve judgment and not jump to conclusions right away.

The “ability to remain in a state of not knowing” is a sign of intellectual maturity.

Intentionally Broaden Your Information Sources

Many people who fall deep into conspiracy theories tend to intensively view only “information with similar perspectives.”

This is called “confirmation bias,” a psychological bias where one is exposed only to information that reinforces one’s existing beliefs.

In particular, the algorithms of social media and video sites constantly push posts that seem to match your preferences, which can naturally narrow your perspective.

Consciously aiming for a diversification of information sources can help avoid this risk, such as:

Accessing media with different viewpoints
Viewing overseas news and academic sources
Listening to opinions that differ from your own

Do Not Think “I Won’t Be Fooled”

People who are knowledgeable or logical can actually be more susceptible to being drawn into conspiracy theories.

If you assume, “I can notice the truth that others don’t,” that becomes a factor that clouds your judgment.

No matter how careful you are, humans make mistakes. That is exactly why acting on the premise that you too might be fooled can be considered a more rational attitude.

“Doubting, yet not jumping to conclusions” becomes your defense.

Look at the Structure, Without Being Pulled by the Story

Conspiracy theories always come with a “dramatic narrative.”

The conflict between good and evil
Rulers and the ruled
The awakened self vs. the brainwashed others

Such simple dichotomies may be attractive as a story, but they do not necessarily reflect reality correctly.

Real-world events and social movements involve a tangle of many elements, such as complex causal relationships, historical backgrounds, and institutional structures.

It is important to have a perspective that understands structurally “why things are the way they are,” without getting too emotionally pulled into the story.

Do Not Leave Loneliness Unaddressed

Behind the strong attraction to conspiracy theories, there may be hidden “isolation” or a “lack of a place to belong.”

When people feel lonely, they become deeply dependent on individuals or groups that understand them. Conspiracy theory communities can sometimes function as that “place to belong.”

Therefore, making efforts not to become lonely also contributes to your mental security.

For example, actions such as:

Having regular conversations with people
Joining communities where you can share hobbies and interests
Having connections offline, not just online

can lead to mental stability.

Focus on Dialogue Rather Than Denial

Even if someone close to you leans toward conspiracy theories, denying them outright can backfire.

When their beliefs are denied, people tend to psychologically protect them (known as “defensive cognition”).

Instead, taking a dialogue-based approach can create the possibility of naturally broadening the other person’s perspective:

Asking carefully, “What made you think that?”
Gently offering your own perspective, such as “There might be this way of thinking too.”

Conclusion: What You Can Do to Keep Your Distance from Conspiracy Theories

Have the ability to suspend judgment and not immediately connect anxiety with answers
Diversify information sources and be aware of biases
Recognize that your own judgment is not absolute
Look at things through structures and causal relationships, not stories
Avoid loneliness and maintain connections
Face others’ conspiracy theories with dialogue rather than denial

It is said that whether one is attracted to conspiracy theories is influenced more by psychological states and environmental factors than by the amount of knowledge.

Therefore, without assuming “I am fine,” making a gradual effort in your daily life to enhance your mental security will surely become a great support for living flexibly in the future information society.

Thou Shalt Not Die

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 13:16:47 +0900

Akiko Yosano

“Thou Shalt Not Die”

―― Grieving for my younger brother in the besieging army at Port Arthur

Ah, my brother, I weep for you,
Thou shalt not die,
Being the youngest born,
You received the most of our parents’ love.
Did they place a blade in your hand
And teach you to kill?
Did they raise you to twenty-four
Just to tell you to kill and die?

As the master of an old and proud
Merchant house in the town of Sakai,
Since you are the one to inherit our parents’ name,
Thou shalt not die.
Whether the fortress of Port Arthur falls,
Or whether it does not, what does it matter?
You surely know, such things
Are not the way of a merchant’s house.

Thou shalt not die.
The Emperor himself
Does not go out to battle.
To shed one another’s blood,
To die the death of beasts,
And call such death human glory,
With his great and deep heart,
How could the Emperor possibly desire this?

Ah, my brother, in battle
Thou shalt not die.
Our mother, who lost our father
Last autumn,
In the midst of her sorrow, pitifully
Having her son summoned, she guards our home.
Even in this great reign heard to be peaceful,
Our mother’s white hairs have grown.

Weeping behind the shop curtains
Is your fragile, young bride,
Have you forgotten her, do you think of her?
Parted before being together for even ten months,
Think of the young girl’s heart.
In this world, with only you,
Ah, whom else is she to rely upon?
Thou shalt not die.