Impromptu: Amplifying Our Humanity Through AI detailed building codes with numerous constraints on how to design bathrooms, what sorts of materials to use, and more. Zero risk is only possible in a world where there is zero prog- ress. Zero regulation is only possible in a world where there is zero progress. I’m over-emphasizing these enduring truths now because so much unknown territory lies ahead. While I call this book a “travelog,” for all practical purposes, we’re still on the ride to the airport. It’s early, early days. What happens after wheels-up? Do we bail out the moment things start to get bumpy? Do we get impatient the moment it feels like we’re not moving fast enough? Every epic journey demands epic perseverance. And persever- ance requires a long-term perspective, a willingness to stay the course, and the assumption that the final destination will be worth everything it takes to get there. In building tools characterized in large part by their capaci- ties for speed, efficiency, and all-purpose virtuosity, it’s a little ironic, no doubt, to counsel patience and tolerate missteps. But think how easy it is, in the technologically magical world we now inhabit, where we acclimate to miracles so quickly, to lose sight of how long it took to achieve everything we now take for granted. At age fifty-five, I’ve lived 70 percent of my life without an iPhone. If you ask me what life was like when we didn’t all walk around with the world in our pockets, I can tell you. But I can’t really imagine it in any deeply felt way, because smart- 212