Why It’s So Hard To Leave San Francisco: Excitement, Fear, AI

I have been making an attempt to depart San Francisco since 2014. After fake retiring in 2012, I assumed it was solely logical to maneuver to a lower-cost space of the nation, like Honolulu, to save cash and be nearer to my people.

Sure, Honolulu is not low-cost, nevertheless it’s cheaper than San Francisco! Nonetheless, each time I attempt to depart, San Francisco pulls me again in.

Listed here are some the explanation why:

• 2014: Discovered an ocean-view residence in San Francisco for reasonable, so I purchased it as a substitute of shopping for a way more costly ocean-view residence in Honolulu.
• 2017: Had our first youngster, so we determined to remain for continuity. As first-time mother and father, we had sufficient stress.
• 2019: Had our second youngster. There’s lots of consolation in understanding your medical doctors when you could have a new child.
• 2020: The pandemic pressured us to shelter in place for a number of months. Relocating to a brand new metropolis with an toddler and three-and-a-half year-old throughout a pandemic creates extra uncertainty.
• 2021: Son received right into a Mandarin immersion faculty. He is loved his expertise to this point, so it is arduous to tug him out and place him in a brand new faculty.
• 4Q 2023: A possibility to buy a dream residence at a extra reasonably priced value, so we did.
• Fall 2024: The opportunity of going back to work full-time as soon as each youngsters are in class full-time. The job alternatives are extra plentiful in San Francisco than in Honolulu.

Having A Household Makes Leaving Any Metropolis Extra Troublesome

If we did not have youngsters, I am positive my spouse and I’d have relocated to Honolulu years in the past. We longed to stay a less complicated life close to the ocean in year-round heat climate. We had sufficient cash to stay comfortably, however not extravagantly.

I imagined fixing up my grandparents’ previous farmhouse in Waianae and consuming off the land. After breakfast, we might go to the seaside to boogie board or surf. Then we might come residence, eat some poké, and take a nap. Then we would go for a late afternoon hike.

Though we might lose all status and prestige, we might be mentally and bodily more healthy and happier! Not a foul commerce over simply making a living. Alas, we had youngsters, that are a blessing.

After getting a household, inertia makes it very arduous to relocate. Your home, faculty, pals, community, and healthcare suppliers all maintain you stationary.

Why I Love San Francisco

Apart from America, I’ve lived between 6 months and 4 years in six different international locations. I’ve additionally visited over 150 cities worldwide. San Francisco is on my record of the highest 5 greatest cities on the earth.

Listed here are the the explanation why:

• The climate is delicate year-round, which is nice for exercising outdoor.
• The town and the encircling area are stunning, particularly if you happen to can stay in a house with views.
• Napa/Sonoma Valley are solely an hour and quarter-hour away.
• Lake Tahoe has world-class snowboarding/snowboarding 3.5 hours away.
• Nearer to Hawaii and Asia than cities on the East Coast.
• Incredible universities similar to Berkeley, Stanford, UCSF, Santa Clara, and so on
• At all times a prime three culinary metropolis in America
• Bountiful job and consulting alternatives that pay properly
• One of the vital numerous cities on the earth
• One of many cheapest international cities in the world
• Tons of leisure, like tennis tournaments, entertainers, and artwork reveals come right here

Why I Dislike San Francisco

After all, no metropolis is ideal. Listed here are some the explanation why I dislike San Francisco:

• Some corrupt city officials
• Authorities waste
• Crime and homelessness
• Excessive value of dwelling
• Intense hustle tradition in some industries
• Paperwork in the case of getting issues accomplished

However the actuality is, each single metropolis has these bullet factors to varied levels. The one factor I like about Honolulu over San Francisco is the dearth of hustle tradition. As soon as you’ve got left an intense profession, you will not need to be always surrounded by go-getters.

Pleasure Is What Retains Me In San Francisco

I’ve gone by the professionals and cons of San Francisco many instances earlier than. However what I spotted most just lately is that pleasure is likely one of the essential the explanation why I stay in San Francisco.

As somebody who simply will get bored, I must be in a vibrant metropolis the place there’s one thing thrilling at all times happening. Let me share a few examples.

1) APEC Comes To San Francisco

San Francisco just lately hosted APEC, the Asia Pacific Financial Council. President Biden, China’s President Xi, and a bunch of different world leaders got here to hob knob.

As an Asian one that lived in The Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, and Malaysia till highschool, it was thrilling to see 21 APEC leaders come to city and construct relationships. Listed here are some images of who came to San Francisco for APEC.

Not solely had been world political leaders on the town however so had been prime musicians like Sting and Yoshiki serenading Marc Benioff (Founding father of Salesforce) and different luminaries at his occasion. Elon Musk got here to city as properly.

The world’s media was targeted on San Francisco for 2 weeks. The highlight brings in additional curiosity, extra investments, extra jobs, and extra demand to go to and stay within the metropolis.

It is arduous to depart San Francisco when you realize many individuals need to stay right here.

2) OpenAI CEO Firing Debacle

After APEC ended, OpenAI’s board voted its CEO, Sam Altman out for an unspecified motive. After Atman’s firing, there was an enormous outcry of help from the VC and tech group. Greg Brockton, the President stop, together with a number of senior researchers. Consequently, the board is underneath immense stress to resign and reinstate Altman as CEO.

In case you’ve watched Succession on HBO, your entire OpenAI debacle feels just like the present on hyperspeed. Thrilling and engaging to watch!

As soon as once more, your entire tech world is concentrated on what the heck is happening in San Francisco with the most important artificial intelligence firm on the earth.

For a fast overview of what is going on on at OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT:

1. Altman clashed with the board on the course of the corporate (e.g. income vs. non-profit, AI security, pace of improvement of expertise, Altman wanting to start out one other firm, and so on)
2. Energy wrestle between Altman and Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist
3. In a coup by Sutskever, on a Google Meet, “Ilya instructed Sam he was being fired and that the information was going out very quickly.” Shortly after, Brockman was instructed he was being faraway from his place as chairman of the board however would maintain on to his function as president. 
4. Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella came upon concerning the board’s determination similar to the remainder of us on Twitter, regardless of having invested over $10 billion in OpenAI. Curiously, regardless of the funding quantity, Microsoft does not have a board seat.
5. OpenAI staff had been on the cusp of having the ability to promote their shares at a staggering $86 billion valuation. However now that valuation quantity is wanting suspect. OpenAI’s board might have torched tens of billions in shareholder worth.
6. Now OpenAI’s board is underneath stress to reinstate Altman, who’s contemplating coming again if the board is eliminated. However he’s not! Emmett Shear from Twitch is now interim CEO.
7. Altman is becoming a member of Microsoft to steer a brand new AI mission. Working for large tech looks as if a disappointment for Altman, however a win for Microsoft to regulate extra items and get an in-house AI expertise. Altman may return to OpenAI, however provided that the board is modified.

In case you’ve lived in San Francisco since 2001, as I’ve, you inevitably will know folks concerned on this drama. How may you allow? The awkwardness goes to be superb through the subsequent board assembly!

Be In The Proper Place At The Proper Time To Get Wealthy

Half the battle of getting wealthy and/or getting forward is being in the proper place on the proper time. When you may simply meet decision-makers in particular person, it is a lot simpler to construct relationships. And when you could have good relationships, life will get simpler.

I am speaking about getting a job or a consulting gig, getting your youngsters into faculty, elevating cash to your firm or fund, beginning a enterprise, and extra. In case you’re a useful and comparatively good particular person, you’re going to get farther forward than those that aren’t.

Exhausting To Get Again In As soon as You Depart San Francisco

In case you depart San Francisco, like many did through the pandemic, there is a concern you may by no means be capable of get again in.

The job you vacated may have been taken by a hungry colleague. Your community will neglect about you as soon as you allow. And the prime property you owned will likely be scooped up by one other household and never be accessible for the subsequent 30 years!

I’ve lived in San Francisco since 2001 as a result of I felt the tech/web growth was right here to remain. Sure, the dotcom bubble had burst in March 2000, however the groundwork was laid for Net 2.0.

Given I could not get a job in tech, I purchased public tech firm shares. Then I bought as much San Francisco real estate as I may afford. Picks and shovels for many who’ve been shut out!

It appears apparent that synthetic intelligence will revolutionize the world once more. Nonetheless, this time, the stakes could also be even greater as a result of AI may get rid of my kids’s jobs in addition to yours.

Concern Retains Me In San Francisco

With Net 1.0 and a pair of.0 corporations, there was a higher chance of getting wealthy by becoming a member of these corporations or investing in them after they went public.

However with artificial intelligence, there looks as if much less alternative given fewer individuals are wanted to scale. These personal AI corporations are staying personal for longer, shutting out public buyers. As well as, synthetic intelligence is a direct assault on eliminating jobs in lots of industries!

By staying in San Francisco, I really feel like I am performing as a loyal soldier of the Evening’s Watch within the Recreation of Thrones. The White Walkers are coming to destroy us, it is solely a matter of time when. However once they do, I need to be right here to defend my household!

I am at all times pondering 10+ years forward as a result of you need to if you wish to successfully plan to your future. With a 3 and six-year-old, I am involved for his or her futures.

From Non-Revenue To Mega Income In AI

OpenAI went from being a non-profit whose mission was to assist humanity to being a for-profit firm price $86 billion and largely owned by Microsoft.

Huh?

It doesn’t matter what the OpenAI leaders say, the rationale why the corporate grew to become a for-profit firm was to make tons of cash for its leaders, house owners, and staff.

That is Capitalism 101!

Give it some thought. Regardless of how wealthy you already are, you may’t assist however need more cash, extra energy, and extra fame.

Take heed to all the company converse you need from AI leaders selling a “innocent expertise” for the higher good of humanity. There will likely be constructive advantages from AI for positive, similar to medical analysis and breakthroughs. Nonetheless, there can even be negatives as properly, together with huge disinformation, fraud, and tens of millions of job losses.

ChatGPT and Claude.ai already scrapes the web for knowledge and makes it their very own with out given any attribution to creators like me. But, AI people say this is not stealing. No surprise why Medium is obstructing all AI crawlers from its content material.