When Everyone Sounds Like an Expert

What an extraordinary time we're living in.

You can ask artificial intelligence almost anything and, within minutes, find yourself talking about a subject as though you've studied it for years.

I think that's fantastic.

But here's the funny thing. Everybody else can do exactly the same thing.

So when everyone has access to the same information, how do we know who actually understands what they're talking about?

I've been a tailor for most of my working life, and I'm seeing this happen in my own industry.

People are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about canvassing, pattern cutting, garment construction and bespoke tailoring.

Well, at least they're becoming familiar with the terminology.

And there's the catch.

Knowing what something is called isn't necessarily the same as knowing what to do with it.

When information meets experience

Recently, a customer commissioned a wedding suit with us. He'd been researching different tailoring businesses and using AI to understand suit construction.

He came back convinced that full canvas was the best choice.

Fair enough. Full canvas can be excellent.

But was it the best choice for him?

That was the question I wanted us to explore.

We discussed his body, the fabric, how he felt the heat and the fact that his wedding was in January, right in the middle of a Perth summer.

There wasn't a universal answer. There was a decision to be made about his particular garment.

And that's where information and experience begin to separate.

AI can explain a construction method. A salesperson can explain the products they're offering. A cutter must work out how those things translate into an actual garment.

All three can offer useful knowledge. But they're not necessarily offering the same perspective.

Which brings me to a question I think we should all ask more often.

Think about that for a moment.

A salesperson may genuinely believe in the product they're selling. An experienced tradesperson may genuinely believe their method is best. And AI may give you a perfectly convincing explanation.

But that doesn't automatically mean the advice is right for you.

And before anyone thinks I'm suggesting you should simply trust the tailor, don't.

Question us too.

There's always something to learn

I've spent decades working with cloth, cutting patterns, fitting bodies and correcting garments. And you know something?

I'm still learning.

I hope I never stop.

I've never been particularly interested in upselling someone. I get far more satisfaction from helping a customer turn an idea into something they can actually wear.

Sometimes that means recommending more. Sometimes it means recommending less.

What matters is understanding why.

I come from generations of tailors, and one thing I've learnt is that trust isn't something you can talk somebody into. It's something you earn through your actions.

That philosophy has survived enormous changes in the world.

And I reckon it will survive AI too.

So use artificial intelligence. Ask questions. Research everything. Speak to salespeople, makers and people with real experience.

But don't hand over your judgement to any of them.

Not even me.

Because as information becomes easier to obtain, our ability to question, understand and apply it becomes more valuable than ever.

And perhaps that's where real wisdom begins.