The Battle Hymn of the AI Renaissance
AI will change the world. How exactly? We get to decide.
Dear Prompt Experimenters,
AI is polarizing, not just because of what it does, but because of what it means. The current narrative says you have to choose a side. I think there’s a better way.
When I read the news, or the Substack Notes, here’s who I observe making the most noise:
The Automation Bringers: This group prioritizes efficiency above everything, measuring AI’s success primarily in terms of speed and automation. The Bringers are totally obsessed right now with “agents to supercharge your productivity.” Every person needs agents. To answer your emails, manage your content and everything else. Every corporation needs even more agents. As long as there are agents, everything will be efficient, and everything will be great.
The AI Resistance: This group wants nothing to do with the “mass plagiarism machines” or “stochastic parrots.” They talk about AI risks, AI exploitation, and “the death of human creation.” Many actively refuse to read anything written (even partially) by AI, and suggest you should do the same. They love examples of AI fails, and universalize from them that you simply cannot trust it, not ever.
Both of the groups above have legitimate points. Agents and automation are highly valuable, for many things. And AI is extraordinary complicated. Without the right safeguards, boundaries, and ethics, bad things will happen. They have already.
But if you’re reading this, you probably don’t quite fit into either group. (Just a guess. If you do, you’re absolutely still welcome here!). I certainly don’t.
I’ve been grasping for how best to explain why I’m writing this substack. I’ve alluded to it, but haven’t quite nailed it down.
Let me try with this post: We need a third way. I’m not sure I've fully captured it yet (feedback welcome!), but I’ve tried. It’s called The AI Renaissance Path.
THE THIRD WAY: The AI Renaissance Path
So what am I proposing, exactly? How SHOULD we be thinking about AI?
In an infographic, I think it looks like this:
(I’m leaving the “enrrich” typo for two reasons, as a reminder that AI really isn’t perfect, and because it vaguely connotes a primal super-charged version of the correctly spelled word)
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? A tale of two futures
We’re already on a path. Here’s how I see it playing out. The Automation Bringers will drive where AI goes, controlling the funding and the insider narrative. The Resistance will snipe and complain (largely from the sidelines, though there will be some legal conflicts, boycotts, and such). The rest of us will be stuck somewhere in the uncomfortable middle.
Net net, in five years, we’ll end up somewhere like here:
Destination 1 — "Efficiency Rules" (2030)
In this future, AI is defined overwhelmingly by automation enthusiasts and ROI-driven decision makers. Rights-first skeptics push back, but their voices never quite shift the dominant narrative.
Morning routines become hyper-efficient. Before you’re awake, your device has already answered emails, paid bills, and scheduled your groceries. The emphasis on optimization becomes relentless, with subtle prompts like, “Save 6 minutes—let Copilot respond to your friend’s voice note?”
At work, most white-collar tasks run through automated "workflow fabrics." Meetings are recorded, summarized, and action-itemed by default, while human input shrinks. Performance evaluations are based heavily on minimizing "human-touch" time per task, and companies openly discuss how new hires come with an “AI-ratio”—part person, part license subscription.
The creative industries embrace mass production: streaming giants generate thousands of versions of songs overnight, algorithmically selecting only the highest-performing combinations for a quick human polish. Independent creators seek refuge in niche, human-only spaces, supported by fiercely loyal subscribers who explicitly reject automation-driven creativity.
In education and training, vocational programs become free and standardized, with AI proctors evaluating pass/fail competency modules. Soft-skills training and exploratory learning fade, seen as inefficient compared to task-specific, process-focused instruction.
The public sphere adapts uneasily: every election triggers authenticity audits due to pervasive yet imperfect deepfake detection. AI-resistant communities try to carve out analog refuges—public parks or art festivals—but their influence remains limited by tight budgets and competing interests.
Economically, the world benefits from measurable productivity gains, but these gains flow unevenly. Middle managers displaced by AI increasingly find themselves teaching algorithms how to replace colleagues, reinforcing widespread anxiety among workers about their replaceability.
In short, convenience skyrockets, friction disappears, yet culture feels flattened and trust fragile. AI pervades everything, but rarely inspires. Humans become optimized cogs, caught in the logic of an algorithmic machine.
How does that sound?
I mean, it’s not the complete end of the world, but… I’d rather something different.
So what if we could mobilize all the AI enthusiasts in search of something other than total life automation, amplify their voices, and pull in from the Bringers and Resistance, since we are somewhat a compromise coalition between the two sides? What if we could all work together to traverse the Renaissance Path?
Where do we end up?
Destination 2 — "AI Renaissance" (2030)
In this future, a large, influential community of experience-focused builders reshapes the AI landscape, blending automation with creativity and human judgment. Both skeptics and automation enthusiasts coexist, but it's the Renaissance Path that defines the narrative.
Morning routines feel thoughtfully crafted: your personal AI offers brief interactive stories based on your favorite books or playlists adapted to your daily intentions. AI isn't just about speed—it's about creating moments that make mornings richer, more interesting, and distinctly personal.
At work, AI supports human decision-making through interactive "decision theaters," visualizing trade-offs and outcomes rather than merely automating tasks. Employees focus less on busywork and more on interpretation, creativity, and strategic judgment. Success is measured not by seconds saved, but by the measurable quality of choices and effectiveness of collaboration.
In the creative industries, artists actively co-author with AI, receiving royalties whenever their work informs AI-generated content. Rather than mass-producing content, AI tools empower millions of creators to develop richer, more personalized artistic experiences, sustainably supported through micro-royalties.
Education and training become deeply interactive: AI mentors adapt dynamically to each learner, working alongside human coaches to refine skills rapidly. Leadership and creative training flourish, combining generative simulations and tailored feedback, dramatically improving learner outcomes and satisfaction.
In the public sphere, cities openly disclose how their AI models function and how they affect people’s lives. Transparency is the norm, and residents actively engage with technology through clear, explainable interactions. The result is an informed public comfortable collaborating with technology rather than fearing it.
Economically, productivity still grows significantly, but job markets shift positively toward human roles in interpretation, coaching, and creative partnership with AI. Instead of widespread anxiety, there's excitement about roles that blend technology with uniquely human strengths.
Overall, society feels enriched, co-created, and culturally vibrant. AI enables meaningful experiences, better decisions, and creative fulfillment—technology in service of humans, not the other way around.
PROMPTING THE RENAISSANCE
If these futures made you feel something, dread or delight, let’s make them more real, more personal, more connected to your own life.
🧠 Prompt: Explore Your Future with AI
Based on everything you know about me, deeply, paint a picture of what my own life might look like in each of these two competing visions of how AI will "play out" over the next 5 years. [Cut and paste previous section on destination 1 and destination 2]
✨PAID SUBSCRIBER UPGRADE: Want the next level of response personalization? Try running this prompt with The AI Handshake Protocol
🧠Prompt: Selling a Vision (that makes the world better)
I am a builder and a creator, highly interested in AI. Ask me what I’m building. Then help me develop a strategy to integrate the essay below into my marketing, my messaging, and my pitch. We are looking for win-win here. Making the future of AI legitimately better, and connecting me more deeply to my target audience. The essay: [cut and paste this entire Substack post, up until the prompt section]
✨PAID SUBSCRIBER UPGRADE: Use this prompt with your own AI Chief Marketing Officer.
Happy for the Renaissance, sad for Alcaraz,
Techintrospect