If LLMs can now ace the IMO, why not make them president and CEO too? They should run the institutions, not us. Relatedly: the idea that Mars colonization or Cluely or whatever is some kind of natural, inevitable endpoint to humanity; that regardless of whether a product is something we want, there is a moral duty to bring it into existence—to... See more
There have been studies that suggest this AI-productivity hypothesis may check out. In 2024, researchers analysed the output of over 53,000 artists and 5,800 AI adopters on a major art-sharing platform and found that generative tools do, in fact, boost the number of works users post per month. Similar studies across other sectors have made... See more
About post-individualismWe’re not going back to collectivism. It’s a new state called post-individualism.Post-individuals define their identity by both their own individual traits as well as which groups and ideologies they voluntarily subscribe to.
The real breakthroughs that enabled the revival of the 1,000 True Fans model are better understood as cultural. The rise in both online news paywalls and subscription video-streaming services trained users to be more comfortable paying à la carte for content. When you already shell out regular subscription fees for newyorker.com, Netflix, Peacock,... See more
I had an interesting and unexpected experience a few days ago.
I received a promo copy of Reid Hoffman's new book, Superagency, in which he makes the case for AI as growth-engine, value-amplifier, intelligence-amplifier, science-accelerator, medicine-improver, etc. and that pre-emptive blanket overregulation,... See more
If you’re lucky, perhaps something you post will temporarily spark a surge of engagement, but those same spectators, exhausted by the onslaught, will soon shift their weary attentions to the next recommended item flowing close behind. This relentless pace rewards passive consumption, not active interaction with individual creators. The... See more
We have embraced a myth that leaders are special, particularly brave or gifted. But mostly, leaders are amplified by their peers, part of a culture where leading is expected, rewarded and supported.
The sense is that in the fairly recent past there were social narratives that were both fulfilling and rewarding to participate in, but that for our generation and seemingly subsequent generations to come, it is becoming harder and harder to find and buy into a compelling shared telos. This is the sense of meaninglessness that prompts some people... See more