Artificial Intelligence and the Lost Ark

Frankly #82

We live in an era where artificial intelligence increasingly dominates the headlines with promises of revolutionary advances - from medical breakthroughs to productivity gains. Yet, while society fixates on these micro-level innovations, a deeper macro story remains largely untold: how AI may fundamentally reshape the relationship between humanity, technology, and the living world. As we race towards artificial superintelligence, we face a species-level ‘Icarus moment’ - where our technological ambitions risk outstripping our collective wisdom as we fly too close to the sun.

In this Frankly, I explore seven potential macro-risks associated with AI, from the amplification of wealth inequality to the (literal) existential threat of superintelligence. Through the lens of ‘obligatory technology’ and Jevons paradox, I examine how AI could turbocharge the economic superorganism - accelerating its impact on resource extraction, ecosystem degradation, and human meaning - all while fragmenting our shared reality and concentrating power in dangerous ways.

What happens when we outsource, not just our labor, but also our creativity and meaning-making to machines? How might society adapt when technological efficiency leads to even greater resource extraction and consumption? And as we stand at this critical juncture, can we find ways to “use the devil’s tools in service of Gaia’s work”? Or are we opening a Pandora’s box that cannot be closed? Metaphors - and risks - abound.

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In case you missed it…

This week, I was joined by geologist and energy expert, Scott Tinker, to delve into the complexities of global oil supply and demand, the concept of peak oil, and the future possibilities of energy production and transition. Together, we explored the decline rates of oil reservoirs, the physics behind oil extraction, and the role of technology in oil production.

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