Summary of Key Points
This article debunks the myth that "taste" is a competitive advantage in the Silicon Valley era of AI: While Silicon Valley presents "taste" as a decision-making skill that can generate profits (and even includes it in key performance indicators, KPIs), true taste is actually an unquantifiable ability that requires practical experience and judgment. The real competitive edge in the AI age lies in the "judgment" that emerges from repeatedly trying, making mistakes, and accepting the consequences—this ability is backed by the willingness to invest time, attention, and endure uncertainty.
1. The "Taste" Mentioned in Silicon Valley Is Actually "Pseudo-Taste"
The concept of "taste" as discussed in Silicon Valley has been distorted over time. What should be experienced and cannot be quantified (such as being moved by beauty, as Voltaire suggested) has been turned into profit-generating KPIs. For example, companies like Anthropic open coffee shops and sell "thinking" hats, while OpenAI uses fake film advertisements to promote their AI technology, all under the guise of "cultural taste" to sell their products.
What is true taste? Japanese designer Gaku Mizuno (who created the Kumamon mascot) defines it as the ability to bring the best out of intangible elements like a brand's personality or the rhythm of copywriting. For instance, saying something looks "cute" doesn't demonstrate true taste; rather, explaining how its warm colors evoke feelings of security in mothers does. However, Silicon Valley tries to quantify these intangibles in funding presentations and OKRs, essentially killing the essence of taste—just like turning a live fish into a canned product that looks similar but lacks vitality.
2. Taste Is Dying in Three Dimensions, and You May Have Fallen for These Misconceptions
Taste is not innate; it's a living entity that needs to be cultivated. Yet, it is gradually dying:
- From a process to a label: You browse social media for fashion advice or movie recommendations, and influencers provide you with pre-made "taste packages," allowing you to appear tasteful without the need to make mistakes. For example, saying you like Akira Kurosawa might not be because you were truly moved by "The Seven Samurai," but rather because it's a socially accepted symbol of taste.
- From creating to selecting: AI can generate 100 copywriting ideas in a minute, and choosing the best one is seen as a sign of taste, but it's actually just consumption. If you've never written copywriting, you don't know what was discarded or why certain choices worked; your preference is based on feeling rather than judgment, which cannot become a competitive advantage.
- From engaging with works to performing an identity: You read classics to appear knowledgeable or listen to niche music to build a persona, but the real reason is not the work itself. Taste has become a form of purchasing power (using money to signal your taste) rather than a skill gained through practice.
3. Steve Jobs' "Taste Myth" Is Actually a "Judgment Myth"
Everyone says Steve Jobs had great taste, but what truly set him apart was his judgment:
- He and his family spent two weeks choosing a washing machine, not just considering its appearance, but weighing budget, functionality, and family needs before making a decision.
- When he returned to Apple, he cut 70% of the product line—not because of aesthetic reasons, but because he was willing to take the risk of eliminating those products.
Another example is top music producer Rubin, who never played an instrument but guided artists like Jay-Z. His secret lies in spending forty years listening, choosing, and refining his work repeatedly—this ability to make decisions and take responsibility in the real world is what truly gave him a competitive edge. Taste is merely a byproduct of practice, not the core.
4. The Real Competitive Edge in the AI Age: The Willingness to Act and Take Responsibility
AI can generate countless options, but it cannot bear the consequences of mistakes. What's truly scarce in the AI age are:
- Judgment: The ability to make choices and accept the outcomes even when information is incomplete or outcomes uncertain (for example, choosing a poor copywriting strategy that loses customers).
- Energy Investment: The willingness to spend hours refining AI-generated drafts, to produce videos that no one will watch, and to continue despite uncertainty. These qualities of commitment cannot be replaced by AI.
AI reduces the cost of information, but the value of "energy"—the willingness to invest time, effort, and responsibility—is becoming increasingly valuable. Investing this energy in creating and taking on responsibilities is what gives you a competitive advantage that others cannot steal.
In Conclusion
Stop believing that "taste" is a protective barrier. In the AI age, the real strength lies in your willingness to take action, experiment, and accept responsibility.