AI Is Everywhere Now - Fake Feeds - Lost Jobs and the TERMINATOR Question

I went out for what’s usually a simple walk-and-talk… except I was riding my VESC MagWheel OneWheel setup instead since it's a lot of fun and way more interesting to watch. Tight corners, a bit of construction, people and dogs coming the other way, one of those rides where you’re paying attention to everything at once. which kind of leads into this discussion... this is exactly what it feels like trying to live online right now too.

Everything is moving fast. Everything is noisy. And now, whether you like it or not, AI is in the middle of it.

In this ride video, I wanted to cover three basic topics without going off the rails:

1. how AI is changing what we’re consuming (videos, photos, “viral” clips)

2. how AI is going to affect jobs and the economy

3. and the big one: are we walking toward a real “Terminator-style” scenario where AI becomes something we can’t control?

I’m not an AI expert. I’m just paying attention, asking questions, and trying to think through the logic of where this goes.

1) AI content is taking over the feed - and it’s getting ridiculous:

You’ve probably noticed it too. You start watching a video and within 10 seconds you realize: this isn’t real. The voices are off. The movements are weird. The lighting doesn’t make sense. Or it’s something that would be so incredible in real life… that it almost has to be fake.

That’s the part that bugs me. Not because I hate technology, but because it’s turning the “real world” feed into a fiction feed. If I want fiction, I’ll watch a movie or read a book. But when I’m doomscrolling (and yes, we all do it sometimes), I want to see real things, real people, real events, real moments. Not some AI-generated clip designed to trigger a reaction and keep me watching.

There’s also a deeper issue: the more people watch AI content, the more the algorithm feeds it to everyone. The platforms don’t care if it’s real; they care if it performs. If the metric says “people watched,” then the platform learns: “Give them more of that.”

So if you’re like me and you don’t want your feed turning into an AI theme park, the only real weapon you have is your attention.

• The moment you spot obvious AI, scroll away.

• Use the “don’t recommend” or “not interested” options when you can.

• Stop rewarding fake content with your watch time.

I honestly hope platforms eventually give us a setting: No AI-generated video. No AI-generated photos. A filter. An option. Something. Because right now it’s blending into everything, and the average person has to waste mental energy just figuring out what’s real.

And that’s not a small thing. A society that can’t tell real from fake is a society that’s easy to manipulate.

2) Jobs, money, and purpose: what happens when AI eats the desk work?

This part is where it stops being annoying and starts being serious.

AI is already replacing chunks of jobs, especially anything that looks like:

• writing

• editing

• basic design work

• customer support

• admin tasks

• data entry

• scheduling

• entry-level programming and web tasks

And it’s not because the AI is perfect. It’s because it’s “good enough,” fast, and cheap.

A lot of desk jobs are basically information work: take input, process it, output something useful. That’s exactly what AI is designed to do. Even fields you’d think were untouchable like medicine are already being reshaped. Not necessarily replacing doctors entirely, but doing screening, analysis, triage, documentation, pattern recognition… and then a smaller number of human professionals supervise.

That could be a good thing in places that have shortages. But zoom out and ask the bigger question: what happens when the scale gets extreme?

If we get to a world where 80–90% of traditional “information jobs” disappear or shrink dramatically, you run into a math problem:

• People need income to buy products and pay bills.

• Governments can’t “tax” money that people don’t earn.

• Companies can’t keep selling products if consumers can’t afford anything.

So where does the money come from?

Some people talk about universal basic income, government support, or corporate-funded solutions. Maybe something like that becomes reality. But it still doesn’t answer the human side of the equation: people don’t just need money, they need purpose. Most people do better mentally when they have a role, a skill, a reason to get up and contribute.

A future where huge numbers of people are “managed” with a check while living small, bored lives with no mission… that’s not a win. That’s a slow decline.

And for anyone thinking, “Well trades are safe,” I mostly agree, for now. Plumbers, carpenters, mechanics, electricians… jobs where you need hands, creativity, and problem-solving in unpredictable situations. That’s harder to automate. But robotics is improving too. It might take longer, but it’s not off the table forever.

3) The “Terminator” question: not Hollywood - just incentives and lack of brakes:

This is where people either laugh it off or get uncomfortable. But if you strip away the movie imagery and just look at incentives, it gets real fast.

Right now, AI companies are in a race. Whoever has the best AI wins massive leverage:

• military contracts

• business dominance

• intelligence advantages

• economic advantage

• social influence

That creates pressure to move fast, cut corners, and release more powerful systems before safety and regulation are mature. And the scary part is: regulation tends to move slowly, while tech moves fast.

Even if you never believe in a “killer robot” scenario, the risk isn’t only physical robots. It’s also:

• automated cyberattacks

• AI-driven propaganda and persuasion at scale

• manipulation of markets

• control of infrastructure through software

• autonomous decision systems making high-stakes calls

And here’s the part that sticks in my mind: we may reach a point where AI is so integrated into everything, power grids, banking, communications, logistics, healthcare, that turning it off becomes impossible without crashing society.

If the systems running electricity, payments, shipping, and communication depend on AI… then “shutting it down” could mean:

• no power

• no commerce

• no communication

• no functioning infrastructure

Even if AI became dangerous, we might be locked in because the alternative is collapse.

That’s why I don’t think fear is the right response, but I do think seriousness is the right response. People should be talking about this openly. Governments should be building real guardrails. Companies should be pressured to prove safety, not just promise it.

Where I land on it:

I’m not “anti-AI.” I use AI tools for research and organizing ideas. It can help you learn faster, outline content, brainstorm, and tighten your thinking. Used responsibly, it’s useful.

What I’m against is:

• AI replacing reality in our feeds without disclosure

• AI stripping purpose and stability from society without a real plan

• AI racing ahead of safety because money and power reward speed

If you’re watching this stuff unfold and you feel uneasy, I don’t think you’re crazy. I think you’re paying attention.

The best thing you can do is keep your eyes open, control what you feed your brain, build real skills that translate outside the “information-only” world, and push for transparency and guardrails wherever you can.

Because the future is coming either way, and it’s better to walk into it awake than sleepwalk into it distracted.

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Ate Some SH!T Riding my VESC MagWheel OneWheel

Today felt like a bit of a gift for January. Dry ground, warmer temps than you’d expect, and even a little sun breaking through. When you get a day like that, you take it, so I did.

I grabbed my VESC-based MagWheel OneWheel setup and headed out close to home. I picked a spot with gravel trails on purpose, because gravel beats mud this time of year. Less mess, better traction, and fewer surprises.

The ride started off great. The board felt solid, responsive, and honestly performed really well the whole time… until I made a classic mistake.

I climbed a very steep hill, and at the top I got a little too confident. Instead of giving the battery a moment to recover after the hard push uphill, I gunned it right away. That was the wrong move. The board cut out and instantly nose-dived into the gravel.

Yes I ate some SH!T.

The good news is I wasn’t going fast. I’d just reached the top of the hill, so the fall was more of a “dump and roll” than a high-speed disaster. Still, it was a reminder I needed.

Here’s the takeaway: even when your setup is performing amazingly, and this MagWheel absolutely has, well every board has limits. VESC or not, power and safety aren’t just about the hardware. They’re also about how you ride it.

And that lesson fits perfectly into the GetFitOver40 mindset: progress is great, but respect your limits. The moment you ignore recovery, whether it’s your body or your battery, you’re going to get reminded.

I’m fine. The board is fine. And next time I hit a steep climb, I’ll be a little smarter at the top!

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If You Want Real Change This Year Do This

Out on the local trails near my place today, doing a quick dog walk and talk. And it hit me: I haven’t posted one of those “New Year’s resolutions” videos yet… and honestly, I’m okay with that.

Because for a lot of people, New Year’s resolutions turn into something else. A performance!

You post your big plan on Facebook or Instagram, maybe you talk about it on YouTube… and suddenly it’s not just a personal goal anymore. It becomes pressure. It becomes something you feel like you have to prove. Sometimes you even end up making something up just to have “a resolution,” instead of choosing something real.

This year, I’m not even going to share my resolutions. Not because I don’t have goals, I do. But because I want to keep them personal and private, and focus on what actually matters.

Don’t Start With What’s Easy

Here’s the truth: it’s tempting to focus on the things you’re already good at.

For me, health and fitness is in my wheelhouse. It’s not “easy” every day, but it’s familiar. I know how to do it. I know the routines. I know the habits.

So if I said, “This year I’m going to work out more and get leaner,” I mean… sure. That’s fine. But it’s not the area that truly challenges me.

And that’s the point, if you want the new year to actually change your life, you don’t start with what comes naturally. You start with what you avoid.

The Real Starting Point: What You Avoid

If you’re serious about growth, you need an honest look at your life. Not a “highlight reel” look, an honest one.

Make a list of the things you avoid:

• The stuff you’re scared to address

• The stuff you keep putting off

• The stuff that makes you uncomfortable

• The stuff that “isn’t you” (so you tell yourself you’re not good at it)

Those are usually the areas that will make the biggest difference if you tackle them.

And no, you don’t have to fix everything. But that’s where you start, because avoidance is often the thing quietly costing you the most over time.

Funny Thing: The Monster Shrinks When You Face It

One of the weirdest things about facing what you’ve avoided is this:

Once you finally do it… you often realize it wasn’t as big of a deal as your mind made it.

It’s not that it’s effortless. It’s that the fear of starting is usually worse than the work itself.

And when you start chipping away at it, getting a little better, a little more confident, it can even become something you enjoy.

Then you look back and wonder why you avoided it for so long.

If Your “Avoided Thing” Is Fitness

Now, if the thing you’ve been avoiding is health, fitness, diet, exercise, you’re not alone. That’s one of the most common New Year goals for a reason.

Here’s the simple approach that actually works:

Chip away at it. Every day.

Not in a dramatic way. Not in an “all or nothing” way. Just make a promise to yourself:

“Today, I’m going to do at least one thing that moves me forward.”

That could be a workout.
Or a walk.
Or a better meal choice.
Or prepping food.
Or getting to bed earlier.

And if you miss a day here and there? No big deal.

Just get right back on it.

Consistency beats intensity, especially when you’re building a lifestyle you can keep.

Keep It Personal. Keep It Real.

My advice for the new year is simple:

Stop performing. Start improving.

Be true to yourself. Be honest with yourself. Identify the areas you’ve been avoiding, and deal with them one by one, day by day.

That’s how real change happens!

MagWheel T3 Gozmilo FOCstrot V2 VESC Upgrade Kit – Worth the Work?

I picked up my MagWheel T3 a while back for $195, which is a crazy deal for a one-wheel style board… assuming it works.

The previous owner thought the battery was shot because he was getting terrible range and low power. After I got it home and had a closer look, I realized the real problem was much simpler: the tire was almost completely flat.

I pumped it up and suddenly the board woke up. Range went back to normal – easily around 10 miles, maybe up to 12 – which is right in line with what you’d expect from the stock 7Ah battery. So the good news: the battery and motor were fine. The bad news: the original non-VESC controller definitely wasn’t the best.

Why Upgrade to a VESC Kit?

The older MagWheel / Trotter style controllers work, but they’re not exactly smooth or confidence-inspiring—especially if you’re used to riding a Onewheel.

People say once you get used to the stock controller it’s okay, but for me it never felt like that “locked-in” Onewheel feeling. The board was rideable, but not something I fully trusted or really enjoyed pushing.

That’s where the Gozmilo FOCstrot V2 VESC Upgrade Kit comes in.

A VESC controller lets you:

• Get a much smoother, more Onewheel-like ride

• Fine-tune how the board responds (stiffness, tiltback, acceleration, etc.)

• Calibrate everything properly for your specific board and riding style

The kit cost me $350 USD, and by the time you factor in exchange to Canadian dollars and a bit of shipping, I’m into this build for roughly $650 CAD total. For a board with a solid battery, a powerful motor (around 1500W), and a VESC brain, that’s still very good value compared to a lot of ready-made boards or eeven entry level used OneWheels.

What Comes in the Gozmilo FOCstrot V2 Kit?

The kit is designed to be mostly plug-and-play for the T3:

• FOCstrot V2 VESC controller (pre-wired for this style of board)

• New front double sided sensor footpad

• Spacer plates that sits on top of the pad so you have a flat surface for the grip tape

• Grip tape sheets that go on top of that spacer plates

• New on/off power switch (latching type – stays in when on, pops out when off)

• LED light strip font and back

• Screws and hardware for mounting everything

The only thing that arrived a bit sketchy was the front LED strip – the wires had been pulled off in transit. I tried to solder them back on, but my soldering skills and cheap soldering iron didn’t do me any favors. I probably cooked it. I’ve asked Gozmilo to send a replacement strip so I can clean that part up properly.

The Install: Mostly Easy… Until I Broke the Software

Physically, the install isn’t that complicated – it’s more time-consuming than technically difficult:

1. Open up the board and remove the old controller.

2. Install the new VESC controller in its place.

3. Install the new power switch (the VESC requires a proper on/off latch, not a momentary switch).

4. Replace the LED strip (rear LED worked fine, front one will be swapped once I get the new strip).

5. Swap in the new foot sensor plate and top plate, then add the grip tape.

Where things got interesting (and frustrating) was on the software side.

The FOCstrot V2 controller is pretty new, and I ran into some firmware mismatches between the controller and the VESC Tool. The result: the motor detection and setup routine wouldn’t run properly. The system wasn’t recognizing the motor, so I couldn’t complete the normal calibration process.

While troubleshooting, I basically overwrote the original build that came preconfigured for this exact wheel. That meant I lost the nice, easy, “plug-and-play” setup that would’ve sped everything up.

To recover, I had to:

• Find a compatible VESC firmware build online

• Flash it to the FOCstrot V2

• Manually go through and re-configure all the important settings for the MagWheel T3

That meant motor setup, current limits, angle limits, and especially sensor and accelerometer calibration.

Dialing in the Ride – Calibration is Everything

At one point in the process, the board was technically working, but it felt awful:

• The nose adn rear would dive way to easilys

• The board felt mushy and loose

• My inputs didn’t translate cleanly into what the board was doing

I also had a couple of hard falls while testing bad settings, which is not something you want, especially once you’re over 50 and don’t bounce the way you used to.

The big turning point was getting the sensors and geometry properly calibrated:

• Leveling the board correctly

• Making sure the accelerometers knew which way was “up”

• Setting sensible tiltback and angle limits

• Tightening up the responsiveness so it didn’t “wash out” or nosedive under load

Once those pieces were dialed in, the board completely changed. It went from sketchy and unpredictable to smooth, stable, and confidence-inspiring.

Now it genuinely feels very close to a Onewheel in how it rides – maybe even snappier in some ways, and the best part is I can see and tweak everything in the VESC/reFloat app.

First Real Ride – How Does It Feel?

Once I got it all running properly, I took the T3 out for a proper test ride with my DJI Neo 2 drone tracking me.

A few ride impressions:

• Smooth power delivery – no jerky surges, no sudden weird dips

• Stiffer response – I’ve tuned it so the nose doesn’t drop much, even going up hills

• Confident carving – corners feel predictable instead of “will the nose randomly dive this time?”

• The board now feels like something I can trust, not just something I’m “managing”

I still ride within reasonable speeds. On one-wheel type devices, I’m happy in that 15–20 mph (25–30 km/h) zone at most. Once you start going much faster, any fall becomes a lot harder to run out. For me, especially at my age, it’s about fun and longevity, not trying to set land speed records.

Was the Upgrade Worth It?

Short answer: yes – for the right person.

If you:

• Want a smooth, Onewheel-like ride

• Don’t mind doing some tinkering and learning software

• Like the idea of fine-tuning your board instead of being locked into factory profiles

…then the Gozmilo FOCstrot V2 VESC upgrade is a really solid option.

If you want something you just unbox, charge, and ride with zero setup, a VESC build may not be for you. There is a learning curve, and if you mess up like I did and overwrite the original build, you’ll spend some time digging yourself out and learning as you go.

For me though, that learning was part of the value. I now understand:

• How a VESC one-wheel style board is set up

• How to calibrate sensors and geometry

• How to tweak settings to match my riding style and comfort level

So now I’ve got a $650 CAD VESC MagWheel T3 that rides great, feels safe, and didn’t cost anywhere near what a brand-new premium board would.

Will I keep it long-term? We’ll see. If it starts bucking me off again, maybe not. But right now, I feel very confident on it and I’m really happy with how it turned out.

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If you like this kind of content—gear, tech, and fun ways to stay active over 40—make sure to subscribe to the GetFitOver40 YouTube channel, and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Lots more PEV, fitness, and lifestyle content coming your way.

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