I just got back from a impromptu trip to Hawaii—my suitcase still stuffed with sandy flip-flops and my mind drenched in Aloha. Unlike my other visits to the island, I went by myself this time, and had time on my hand to just be and not do or think. But when I did, it often danced around what is our future in an increasingly AI assisted (and soon mediated) world.  One lazy day in Hanalei I was going over a Hawaiian book of ancient proverbs.  A few of them felt like do’s and don’ts of an early AI adventures. Here are four that spoke to me.

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1. “Never turn your back towards the ocean.” AI initiatives in the enterprise is like taking a plunge into Queen’s bath on the north shore of the Kauai island—constantly moving, full of hidden rip currents, and demanding utmost attention. The moment you get cocky and turn away, you can be knocked off your feet. Stay alert, stay curious, and keep your eyes on the developments on the horizon. The tooling, platforms and technology are changing at a breakneck pace, so avoid getting the neck broken.

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2. “If you plan for a year, plant kalo. If you plan for ten years, plant koa. If you plan for 100 years, teach the children.” Plan your AI journey, it has many rewards if done right. Short-term gains are nice, (kalo can feed you soon) instant gratification, but if you plant for bigger growth (koa for that strong lumber), you’ll stand sturdier in the long run. And for true generational impact, invest in your people—your workforce, your customers and your data—so you can ride AI waves and look good while at it.

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3. “Where the hands move, there let the eyes follow.” Ever tried hula dancing without looking at what your arms are doing? It’s hilariously awkward. The same goes for AI adoption: wherever you’re allocating resources (the hands), keep your metrics and monitoring (the eyes) focused. Don’t just invest in some jazzy neural network driven chatbot—watch that baby, measure its impact, and iterate.

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4. “Sweet tongues buy horses on credit.” Oh yes, A lot of snake oil is being sold in its name. Slick promises will dazzle you enough to sign on the dotted line. But in AI, hype without substance quickly runs up a tab you might regret—especially when inflated expectations come due. Keep your feet in the sand, try to know truth about what AI can (and can’t) do, and always trust the first principles of simplicity, utility, and impact.

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Don’t forget your sunscreen, Mahalo, and safe surfing!

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