Labor is Leverage - #104

Our human constraint is our lasting value...

In 2022 and 2023 I dove deep into ai to prepare for deploying capital into ai/web3 startups. This created not only an addiction to ai, but fundamentally changed my life in profound ways. In my rumination and meditations on [how to take advantage of] ai, my problem solving brain inevitably has moved to end-state scenarios, and I want to share with you my most horrifying realization of ai:

The Doomsayer Model

The doomsayer tells us that ai will replace jobs. Yes, there is truth to this, but let’s take it to the Nth degree:

Strength. Cognition. Dexterity. Empathy. - These are the 4 core human traits that make us human. Frankly, many machines are already better at [being human] than most humans:

• Strength - ai + machines building anything.

• Cognition - ai + machines can solve problems and create/build solutions autonomously

• Dexterity - ai + machines can work forever

• Empathy - ai + machines are fully capable of influencing human emotions

You cry out in pain! No, this cannot be! Yes, sir. In my trails and adventures in ai, all of this is being improved upon.

What about experience? Authenticity?… meaning?…

Unnecessary now.

• Experience? - contextual framing or historical exposure as a value to problem solving or building something is no longer required.

• Authenticity? - being ‘authentic’ is now fully mimic’d by ai systems and ‘human authenticity’ is wholly unnecessary as a function of quality output.

• Meaning? - The [function itself] becomes the [why] it’s valuable. The ends justify means.

In all of my world-building and scenario-creating, I’m not quite sure people understand how profound the idea [ai dexterity] is. Consider these ideas:

• A machine that can work autonomously on a problem, forever.

• A corpus of machines that can autonomously resource, forever.

• A system that can self-organize and self-actualize, forever.

The end scenario is bleak: Basic to advanced human effort in most things is no longer required.

A Permanent Underclass of Humans

Due to the laws of averages, large data sets, and diminishing returns, there will be a permanent underclass of citizens as it is statistically impossible to ensure all humans are productive assets to society (where productivity is defined as producing > consumption). It is unfortunate that the bell-curve strikes once again.

My simple logic leaves me with 3 solutions for human flourishing under such a regime:

• Coercive extraction of concessions - the elites must aid the underclass

• Credible and actionable threats - the oligarchy can be pressured

• Some form of universal basic income - basic human needs must be met

You see, human labor is leverage. Without the need for human labor, humans have no chips to bargain with to the corporations/governments who rule the code and the machines. If the companies and organizations do not require human labor, social programs must be [mature and ready] for the masses.

I don’t like this future at all.

Therefore, 2026 will be dedicated to not only building race cars, but diving deeper into the challenges that ai brings into the workforce. I too am effected. I cannot be naïve enough to believe that I will (not be) effected by the radical changes that technology will bring in 2026 and beyond. Expect some deeper analysis and treatise on ai this year.

I want to make sure my readers/community are prepared for this ai future.

I have two newsletters going deeper on ai already frame-worked out and my January 30th FutureTech Forum event is focused on AI & The Workforce. I’m bringing experts from all over to talk about ai and businesses. You’ll probably want to be there.

RSVP.

Stay the course,
ps

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oh… and check out our new website at www.futuretechga.org … we have a product brewing…