THE SKILL CODE by Matt Beane is subtitled "How to Save Human Ability in an Age of Intelligent Machines" and it looks at the importance of what Beane calls the expert-novice bond, meaning that that we each achieved mastery by working with someone who knew more than we did. Beane conducts extensive observational field research as an ethnographer and in his role as an Assistant Professor in the Technology Management Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The first key insight he notes is "that the working relationship between experts and novices is a bundle of three C's that humans need to develop mastery: challenge, complexity, and connection." He explains those and points to threats to each, arguing "if we don't put this knowledge [3C's] to use right now, our species is in deep trouble." Overall, this is really a text about training, teaching and educational psychology. He points to how we need to consciously make these new technologies part of the solution but not by inserting them between novices and experts. A captivating section is where he discusses "shadow learners" – people who take risks and step outside norms to embrace the 3 C's. Beane writes about finding challenge (not unlike Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD)) and provides a checklist to know when you are facing healthy challenge. Beane then repeats those steps with respect to complexity and connection, stressing the importance of "building mutual respect and trust so that employees view a boss as an expert but also someone who cares." Like much of the rest of the book, this is solid advice on social emotional skills and applies to any industry, whether AI is involved or not.