Digital Disruption is Here

The great equalization and redistribution of power is in motion.

Humanity has been shaped by successive waves of technology for millennia. The invention of tools, the wheel, steam power, petroleum, and the harnessing of electricity were transformational moments for civilization, starting with a few precarious experiments before breaking across the world. Civilization stood nearly still for thousands of years, and we have advanced exponentially over the last 150 years to an economic world that must grow to prosper and remain viable. Work has increased value as long as we continue to find ways to do more with less energy expenditure. That is what the last 150 years has created.

We are now on the cusp of the next great wave of technology centered around AI, including synthetic biology, quantum computing, and abundant new energy sources. While this wave will follow a similar pattern, it will depart from it in crucial ways that are only now becoming clear. This wave of technology will bring about the most remarkable redistribution of power in history.

It's important to understand that AI is unlike any previous wave of technology. It has the potential to unleash new powers and transform existing ones in ways that are often underappreciated. While all technologies create changes in power structures, they have yet to see the sheer proliferation of power that AI brings to the table.

The capabilities of AI are increasing every month, and its cost is decreasing dramatically. What was once computationally impossible or would have cost tens of millions of dollars is now widespread and cheap.

Whether you are driven by commercial, religious, cultural, military, democratic, or authoritarian motivations, the availability of cheaper and more powerful technology can dramatically enhance your capabilities. Everyone, from billionaires to street hustlers, kids in Africa to the Wall Street elite, will have access to this technology. This proliferation of capability and technology is set to make a profound impact on society as a whole.

Personal empowerment

Power is the ability to accomplish goals. Power is in the hands of anyone who wants it. I’m guessing that’s going to be most people. This is an age when the most powerful technologies are open-sourced in months when millions have access to the cutting edge, and that cutting edge is the most extraordinary force amplifier ever seen. As power surges through the system, winners and losers will emerge quickly and unpredictably in this combustible atmosphere. In short, this represents the greatest reshuffling of power in history, all happening within a few years.

Many of the people who are currently the most comfortable and secure in their professions, such as doctors, lawyers, accountants, and business VPs, will not be able to escape the major changes that are taking place in the world today. Despite this, many seem to be unconcerned about what's happening. However, this wave of change will have a profound impact on society, and those who rely on established capital, expertise, authority, and security structures are most at risk.

We need to start preparing for containment and developing a comprehensive program to manage these changes now. As power becomes more widespread, its distribution and nature will fundamentally change, and it's important to address the consequences of this shift. We need to understand this and plan how to control and contain it for everyone's benefit. Pessimism is not the answer; we must confront these changes head-on.