Do you remember ‘Yes Man’, the 2008 book by Danny Wallace (and later a film starring Jim Carrey) where the protaganist decides to say ‘yes’ to everything, and see where life takes him. What followed was a life enriched, filled with adventure and opportunity. Well, I decided to undertake my own 2026 version of this experiment, and put my life in the hands of AI. From what to eat, to who to text, to how I spent my money – I handed control over completely.
Here’s what happened…
The Day AI Ran My Life
At 7:00am, my alarm went off.
Not because I set it, but because an AI told me to.
For 24 hours, I decided to run a simple (and slightly reckless) experiment: I would let artificial intelligence make every decision for me. Meals, work schedule, messages, spending, even my social life. If it could be delegated, it was.
No gut instinct. No “I fancy this.” No last-minute changes.
Just AI.
By the end of the day, I wasn’t sure if I’d hacked productivity… or made a huge mistake.
07:00 – The Morning Starts… Weirdly
The AI’s first instruction: “Wake up immediately. Do not snooze.”
Already aggressive.
Next: a glass of water, 10 minutes of stretching, and – oddly – a cold shower. Not a warm one. Not “whatever you feel like”.
Cold.
I won’t lie: I nearly quit the experiment right there. But I stuck to the rules.
08:30 – Breakfast Gets Judged
Instead of my usual toast and coffee, AI prescribed:
- Greek yoghurt
- Blueberries
- Black coffee (no sugar)
Apparently this was “optimal for cognitive performance”.
Fair enough.
But here’s where it got uncomfortable – I wasn’t allowed to deviate. When I hovered near the biscuit tin, I caught myself thinking:
“Am I really letting a machine stop me eating a digestive?”
Yes. Yes, I was.
10:00 – Work Becomes Hyper-Structured
AI blocked my work into 25-minute bursts.
No distractions. No checking my phone. No “quick scroll”.
It even told me when to reply to emails – and when to ignore them.
Weirdly… it worked.
I got more done in 2 hours than I normally would in half a day.
But it also felt robotic. Efficient, yes. Human? Not really.
13:00 – Lunch Takes a Turn
Lunch was… brutal.
A pre-selected “high-protein, low-carb” meal that I absolutely would not have chosen myself.
No crisps. No sandwich. No meal deal.
Just grilled chicken, veg, and water.
It was at this point, I started to realise something:
AI wasn’t optimising for happiness. It was optimising for performance.
15:30 – Social Life Gets… Awkward
Here’s where things got properly uncomfortable.
I asked the AI: “Should I message anyone?”
It suggested:
- Text a friend I hadn’t spoken to in months
- Follow up on a vague networking contact
- Decline a casual invite to go for a pint
One message in particular stood out – it told me exactly what to say.
Not roughly. Exactly.
‘Hi Jimmo, whilst I really love to meet you this evening, I already have plans I’m afraid. Let’s catch up another time.‘
I sent it.
And instantly felt like I’d crossed a line.
Was that still me talking? It didn’t sound like me. Jimmo didn’t reply.
18:00 – The Spending Test
I gave AI control over a small budget.
AI’s instructions:
- No impulse purchases
- Cancel one unused subscription
- Put money aside instead of spending it
Boring? Yes.
Smart? Also yes.
But again – it removed all spontaneity.
No grabbing a coffee just because. No “treat yourself” moment.
Just logic.
21:00 – The Breaking Point
By the evening, I’d had enough.
AI told me to:
- Avoid screens
- Read a non-fiction book
- Go to bed by 22:30
No Netflix. No scrolling. No “one more episode”.
That’s when it hit me.
This wasn’t just about productivity – it was about control.
So… Did It Work?
Technically?
Yes.
I was much more productive, more disciplined, and probably healthier than usual.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
I also felt less like myself. I felt like a robot version of myself. A version of myself that has swapped all joy for productivity gains.
Is this the future? Great body, healthy bank balance, fully charged batteries, but a completely soulless and life, devoid of naughtiness, vice, even joy.
The Bigger Question Everyone’s Ignoring
We’re already using AI to:
- Write emails
- Choose what we watch
- Recommend what we buy
- Filter what we see online
This experiment just pushed it one step further.
But how far is too far?
At what point do we stop using AI… and start quietly letting it take over?
Would I Do It Again?
Honestly?
No.
But I also can’t ignore what I learned:
- A bit of structure is powerful
- Most of our ‘choices’ are habits anyway
- And AI is far better at discipline than we are
The danger isn’t that AI will force control on us. It’s that we might hand it over willingly.
Final Thought
After 24 hours, I turned it off.
Set my own alarm. Ate what I wanted. Ignored the “optimal” choices.
And it felt… liberating. But also slightly chaotic.
Which makes me wonder: If a machine can run your life better than you can… should it?
