Lifting Gear and AI: Tools vs. Crutches
January 21, 2026
In his recent post, "Forklift and Fundamentals," Sam Levine uses the image of a forklift to describe how AI can do the "heavy lifting" for us. It’s a powerful metaphor: if we let the machine move the entire pallet, our own muscles start to atrophy. We lose the "fundamentals" of writing because we aren't the ones under the weight of the bar anymore.
However, I want to pivot that metaphor slightly. In the gym, there is a big difference between a forklift and a pair of lifting straps. A forklift does the work for you; lifting straps, weight belts, and chalk simply help you handle the weight you are already lifting. They are aids, not crutches.
The Supportive Equipment of Writing
When I use AI to help brainstorm an outline or find a synonym, I don't feel like I'm driving a forklift. I feel like I'm putting on a lifting belt. The belt doesn't move the weight for me—I still have to brace, I still have to squat, and I still have to drive upward. What the belt does is provide intra-abdominal pressure and stability so I can perform at my limit without my form breaking down prematurely.
AI can function as "mental chalk." Sometimes your "grip" on a complex topic is slipping. You know what you want to say, but the words are sweaty and hard to hold onto. Using AI to clarify a definition or structure a messy paragraph is like chalking up your hands. It gives you the friction you need to maintain control of your own ideas.
Co-pilot vs. Autopilot
The danger Sam points out is real: we can't let the tool become the athlete. As noted in a recent New York Times piece on AI ethics, the risk of "automated thinking" is that we stop engaging with the struggle that makes writing valuable. If you use a forklift to "deadlift" 500 pounds, you didn't actually get stronger. But if you use straps to help your grip so you can focus on the leg drive, you are still doing the work.
As we move further into this semester, I want to make sure I'm treating AI like my gym bag essentials. I'll use the "straps" when the cognitive load is heavy, but I’ll never let a forklift do the workout for me.