Strategic Pressure is the market force created by the democratization of competence. When anyone can write average copy (GPT-4) or design average logos (Midjourney), "Average" becomes worthless. AI forces businesses to move up the value chain to Strategy, Personality, and Trust.
What is the "Missing Middle"?
The Missing Middle is the collapse of mid-tier value. The market bifurcates into:
1. Commodity (Cheap/Free): Pure AI execution.
2. Luxury (High Status/Trust): Human + AI mastery.
Being in the middle (average work at average prices) is a death sentence.
Areas Under Pressure
Copywriting
Functional copy is free. Persuasive, novel copy is priceless.
Coding
Boilerplate is free. System Architecture is priceless.
Graphic Design
Stock images are dead. Brand Identity is priceless.
Short Answer
You cannot compete on "Better." You must compete on "Different." AI converges on "Better" (optimization). Only humans can do "Different" (innovation).