Trusting the Machine: The Real Metric of AI Success Is Delegation

Trusting the Machine: What We Choose to Let Go

Hey there, we’ve been reflecting a lot lately on how people interact with AI—not just in terms of use, but in terms of trust. There’s something quietly revolutionary happening right now: people are beginning to delegate. And delegation, in our opinion, is the real metric worth watching.

We don’t mean just using AI to write a quick email or summarize a document. We mean actually handing over tasks—sometimes even decisions—and walking away. It’s an act of confidence, or maybe convenience, or maybe something else entirely.

We’ve noticed that this shift mirrors an older digital transition. Think back to when online shopping was new. There was a time when buying a book online felt risky, and trusting a random seller on eBay was an act of faith. Today, we order groceries, furniture, and even life insurance online with barely a second thought.

AI is walking that same road. We're not just building tools anymore—we're building relationships with technology, and those relationships are defined by the moment we say, “You take care of it.”

But this delegation doesn't happen all at once. And just like e-commerce needed PayPal, Amazon guarantees, and App Store curation to grow trust, AI needs more than just good models. It needs clear boundaries, cultural norms, and new forms of digital etiquette. That’s where our attention should go.

The Real Metric: Delegation, Not Just Adoption

We’ve talked a lot about AI adoption metrics before—user counts, daily active use, prompt complexity. But those feel more like check-ins, not real indicators of change. What truly matters is how people delegate.

Here’s a way we’ve started thinking about it:

• Avoidance: “I don’t trust AI here.”

• Supervision: “I’ll let AI help, but I’m double-checking everything.”

• Delegation: “It’s yours—run with it.”

This spectrum, which we’ve come to call AI Posture, helps us understand real-world engagement. When someone lets an AI tool rewrite code, set appointments, or optimize workflows without review, that’s not just use—it’s trust in motion.

Take coding as an example. A skilled developer might avoid using AI for architecture planning, supervise its bug-fixing suggestions, but happily delegate the grunt work of Bash scripting or test case refactoring. That spectrum tells us not just what’s technically possible, but what’s socially acceptable—and that’s often a much harder thing to measure.

So here's a tip if you're building with or for AI: start tracking the posture, not just the presence. Map tasks by trust level, and you’ll get closer to understanding your users—and their fears.

Real News for Real People — Not Partisans

Feeling like you want to get off the rollercoaster of polarizing politics? Read Tangle — an independent and nonpartisan political newsletter recently profiled on This American Life for helping to bridge the gap between politically divided families. Each day, the newsletter unpacks one important news story, examining it from all sides of the political spectrum.

Read it for free.

The Lessons of e-Commerce

We find the comparison to online shopping particularly useful. Remember, the tech for secure transactions existed in the mid-90s. But it took decades for mass adoption. Why? Because the barrier wasn’t technology—it was trust.

That trust came through:

• Third-party guarantees (like Amazon’s A-to-Z)

• Reputation systems (eBay’s seller ratings)

• Dedicated intermediaries (PayPal’s shield from sharing card info)

• Cultural validation (“My friend just bought online—it’s fine now”)

These weren't software innovations. They were social signals. They told users, “You’re not alone. This is normal now.”

AI delegation is going to need similar structures. We’ll need safety guarantees, error transparency, and—perhaps most importantly—stories. When people start saying, “Oh, I let the AI book my vacation and it nailed it,” that’s when delegation spreads.

So if you're working in AI, don't just focus on outputs. Focus on the ecosystem of trust around your product. What guardrails, language, or cultural nudges do your users need to feel okay about letting go?

Tensions and Frictions to Watch

Now, here’s where it gets tricky.

Delegation isn’t just an individual choice—it’s a cultural negotiation. And there will be disagreements. Experts might feel confident handing off complex decisions to AI, but the general public might recoil. Or vice versa.

Here’s what we’re watching closely:

• Military & ethics: Some experts are comfortable using AI in battlefield scenarios. Society? Not so much.

• Healthcare: Could an AI decide to end life support? Even if technically sound, society may never accept it.

• Privacy: Developers might trust AI with their email to sort replies. But what if that AI also starts contacting others on their behalf?

And then, there’s the reverse: everyday folks might happily let AI summarize meeting notes or write basic contracts, while experts still prefer manual review.

These frictions don’t signal failure. They signal that AI is becoming real enough to argue about. That’s a powerful moment. Every time a new domain of delegation emerges, expect pushback, headlines, maybe even regulation. It’s all part of the normalization curve.

A tip? Pay attention to these moments of conflict. They tell you where AI is gaining ground—and where new ethical, legal, or social frameworks are about to be tested.

Former Zillow exec targets $1.3T market

The wealthiest companies tend to target the biggest markets. For example, NVIDIA skyrocketed nearly 200% higher in the last year with the $214B AI market’s tailwind.

That’s why investors are so excited about Pacaso.

Created by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso brings co-ownership to a $1.3 trillion real estate market. And by handing keys to 2,000+ happy homeowners, they’ve made $110M+ in gross profit to date. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

No wonder the same VCs behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay also invested in Pacaso. And for just $2.90/share, you can join them as an early-stage Pacaso investor today.

Invest for $2.90/Share

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

So, Where Do We Go From Here?

So what are we, as AI builders, users, or even just curious citizens, supposed to do with all this?

We think the answer lies in watching delegation like a hawk. Not just the flashy moments, like autonomous cars or AI-generated movies, but the subtle ones—like letting AI plan your calendar or manage your inbox. These micro-delegations matter. They add up.

Here’s what we’re focusing on moving forward:

• Mapping delegation across user types, from novice to expert

• Identifying social frictions before they hit the mainstream

• Creating “trust accessories”: guardrails, dashboards, fallback options

• Listening to our users' posture, not just their prompt inputs

Above all, we’re staying humble. Just because AI can do something doesn’t mean people will—or should—let it. The real transformation comes not from what’s possible, but from what feels safe, normal, and even delightful.

So we’ll keep asking: What are we willing to delegate? And why?

Thanks for thinking this through with us.

What’s your next spark? A new platform engineering skill? A bold pitch? A team ready to rise? Share your ideas or challenges at Tiny Big Spark. Let’s build your pyramid—together.

Marketing ideas for marketers who hate boring

The best marketing ideas come from marketers who live it. That’s what The Marketing Millennials delivers: real insights, fresh takes, and no fluff. Written by Daniel Murray, a marketer who knows what works, this newsletter cuts through the noise so you can stop guessing and start winning. Subscribe and level up your marketing game.

Sign Up Free

That’s it!

Keep innovating and stay inspired!

If you think your colleagues and friends would find this content valuable, we’d love it if you shared our newsletter with them!

PROMO CONTENT

Can email newsletters make money?

With the world becoming increasingly digital, this question will be on the minds of millions of people looking for new income streams in 2025.

The answer is—Absolutely!

That’s it for this episode!

Thank you for taking the time to read today’s email! Your support allows me to send out this newsletter for free every day. 

 What do you think for today’s episode? Please provide your feedback in the poll below.

Share the newsletter with your friends and colleagues if you find it valuable.

Disclaimer: The "Tiny Big Spark" newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only, not a substitute for professional advice, including financial, legal, medical, or technical. We strive for accuracy but make no guarantees about the completeness or reliability of the information provided. Any reliance on this information is at your own risk. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect any organization's official position. This newsletter may link to external sites we don't control; we do not endorse their content. We are not liable for any losses or damages from using this information.