I divide my officers into four classes as follows: the clever, the industrious, the lazy, and the stupid. Each officer always possesses two of these qualities. Those who are clever and industrious I appoint to the General Staff. Use can under certain circumstances be made of those who are stupid and lazy. The man who is clever and lazy qualifies for the highest leadership posts. He has the requisite and the mental clarity for difficult decisions.

But whoever is stupid and industrious must be got rid of, for he is too dangerous.

Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord 1878–1943, German general; attributed to 1933; possibly apocryphal.

This is a post about AI and also about management practices.

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