About this quote

The hard part isn’t collecting facts; it’s deciding which facts improve people's lives. That requires judgment, habits and rules that move much slower than new inventions or studies. When a flashy breakthrough arrives, notice who benefits and who pays the cost. Talk it over with others and make small, practical changes rather than assuming new information alone will fix things.

When to use it

• At a product review, the lead engineer said, “I thought of Asimov’s line — maybe this new AI feature should wait until we test for bias and privacy.”
• While learning about a new genetic test in med school, a student told the class, “Asimov’s quote keeps coming to mind — having the data doesn’t mean we know the right treatment path.”
• A parent deciding on a classroom tablet program said, “Remember Asimov — smarter tools don’t automatically make our parenting choices any wiser.”
• In an investment meeting someone warned, “That high-speed trading model sounds clever, but I keep thinking of Asimov — faster info won’t guarantee better outcomes for clients.”