Objections, steelmanned.
Five of the strongest critiques of the book — stated in their most honest form before being answered. The book does not need to be protected from hard questions. Click any Dig deeper for the full treatment: the honest part, where it is wrong, and what we will concede.
Steelmanning means stating the objection in its strongest possible form before responding. If the best version of the critique is not acknowledged first, the response is not worth reading.
The objections
Each one is numbered, stated directly, and answered in three sections — the part that is honest, the part that is wrong, and what the book will concede.
"This is just an ad for your consulting firm."
A reasonable suspicion any time an author sells something adjacent to the book. The best version of this critique is worth taking seriously before dismissing it.
"AI will replace everyone anyway — this is denial."
The deterministic version: the disruption is total, the timeline is short, and any account of what stays human is just a comfort blanket on the way down.
"It's too simple to be a real strategy."
Start with friction, build in an afternoon, measure and stack — it sounds like a productivity tip, not a competitive strategy. Real AI transformation should be more sophisticated than this.
"It'll be outdated in six months."
AI moves fast. Any book that names specific tools or approaches is wrong before it ships. This will look quaint by the time anyone acts on it.
"The Five Functions are sentimental, not economic."
Care and commitment — these sound like a TED talk about humanity, not a defensible claim about competitive advantage. The market does not pay for feelings.
Have an objection that is not on this list?
Bring it to a working call. It should earn your confidence, not assume it.
From Running at the Speed of Light, Objections & Responses · Prometheus Press