Since learning about the Fibonacci sequence in about 8th grade, I’ve been fascinated with both the sequence and how it shows up seemingly everywhere.
If you’re unfamiliar, the pattern is that the numbers keep adding to the previous number. So while it starts with 1, the next number is 1 (because 0+1), then 1+1=2, 1+2=3, 2+3=5 etc…
1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34 …
Even more amazing, when the numbers are divided by the one before it we get the golden ratio, which is found in geometry, spirals, nature, etc.
I’ve been thinking about how what and how we learn is often much like this. My recent posts here on Substack have featured how to do things that until six months ago literally were not possible.
I’ve been interested in mathematics and subsequently “Data Science” for a couple of decades now, and have always been average to above average. I can use or figure out most mathematics, but sometimes not without struggle and that’s ok!
But with LLM’s and related applications, I can take a basic understanding of python coding or advanced analytics and actually skip over that gap and get it done. Even more powerfully, I can now use these systems to figure out what I don’t know and then teach myself.
Thus, in many ways the skills I (and anyone!) are learning now are compounded in value because the versatility of certain skills enables us to powerfully skill-up in ways never before possible.
Thus, if I knew python (“13”), now I can code entire applications (“21”). From there it’s not too much of a step to say I can apply a little bit of knowledge and train the executive leadership of an entire organization in how to use AI to rapidly iterate and solve problems.
If Durable Skills such as communication and leadership are the skills that are always going to be needed in the world of AI etc, then Fibonacci Skills are the skills that people will need to get ahead. I’d say skills like data modeling, agile framework methodology, understanding LLM architecture, and overall computational thinking top the list.
Just as the fibonacci sequence itself is iterative, so are these AI-related skills compounding in terms of what they enable people to do. The time to get ready is now.
Click the image below to see an interactive Fibonacci Skills explorer I created in Claude.
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