Artificial Intelligence augurs a new age
As with the Industrial Revolution, advances in artificial intelligence promise to radically restructure society
The intelligence revolution, propelled by rapid advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, is reshaping human progress at a breakneck pace. Unlike previous waves of innovation, this transformation focuses less on enhancing physical labor and more on amplifying cognitive capabilities. By unleashing AI’s capacity to solve complex problems, society faces opportunities for unprecedented growth, along with serious quesitons about governance, equality, and human identity.
Within two years of OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, AI systems moved from basic conversational capabilities to advanced tools that can reason, interpret data, and support high-level decision-making. Its CEO, Sam Altman, remarked1 that his team is “confident we know how to build AGI,” predicting that AI agents will enter the workforce this year and significantly alter corporate output. This is the promise of exponential progress, in which breakthroughs build upon each other at an accelerating rate. At the same time, critics like Gary Marcus highlight technical vulnerabilities—such as brittle algorithms and biases—that may slow or complicate AI’s continued advancement.
Much like the Industrial Revolution replaced many physical jobs with machines but also spawned entire new industries, AI’s rapid development is already automating creative and intellectual tasks. Legal briefs can be drafted almost instantly, drug discovery can be accelerated from years to weeks2, and even marketing campaigns can be generated on demand. While these capabilities can supercharge productivity and innovation, their benefits risk being concentrated among those positioned to leverage AI’s power. Historical parallels—such as the displacement of agrarian workers who had to adapt to factory-based economies—suggest that widespread reskilling will again be necessary. Proponents of AI view it as a complement rather than a pure substitute for human labor, but ensuring that the technology’s benefits reach as many people as possible might require policies such as universal basic income or targeted job training.
Concerns over how AI is governed further complicate the landscape. Where the Industrial Revolution eventually required labor unions, antitrust laws, and safety regulations, the intelligence revolution calls for frameworks to address questions about superintelligent AI systems. These questions revolve around who controls powerful algorithms, whether they can be aligned with human values, and how to prevent catastrophic misuse. Sam Altman supports releasing AI systems gradually so that society can evolve alongside them, but this approach demands trust in private developers and government agencies. Efforts such as the OECD AI Principles begin to set standards, although enforcement remains limited and regional.
If carefully guided, AI could drive breakthroughs that even the Industrial Revolution could not match in scope or speed. Machine learning techniques can sift through enormous data sets, spotting patterns that elude human researchers. This means more accurate climate modeling, and potentially groundbreaking progress in fields like fusion energy and genomics. However, achieving these outcomes requires addressing the environmental costs of AI training and mitigating algorithmic biases. The promise of transformative innovation thus comes with its own sustainability challenges that must be carefully navigated.
Beyond economics and science, AI’s rapid rise could shape cultural and societal norms in ways previous revolutions did not. As AI becomes an active partner in education, design, and entertainment, a new generation might rely on these systems for personalized support and creative collaboration. This raises deeper questions: What remains distinctly human if an algorithm can create art or compose music? How do people maintain agency when they increasingly rely on AI for advice and interaction? And will global AI platforms homogenize culture, eroding regional traditions?
The rapid adoption of AI technology magnifies these concerns. During the Industrial Revolution, societies had decades to adapt, but modern advancements unfold in months or even weeks. Altman refers to ChatGPT’s 2022 release as the beginning of “a growth curve unlike anything seen before,” pointing to user adoption that soared from 100 million to over 300 million in two years. Such dramatic expansion demands agile institutions and businesses that can respond to disruptive changes almost immediately.
Ultimately, the intelligence revolution might represent one of humanity’s most defining moments. On one hand, it holds the promise of enhanced prosperity, accelerating scientific discovery, and solving complex challenges that have long stymied human progress. On the other, it poses existential risks, ranging from deepened inequality to the emergence of AI systems that humans struggle to control. Contrarian thinkers like Nassim Taleb argue that optimism must be balanced with an awareness of how unpredictable complex systems can be. Whether AI becomes a boon or burden will depend on thoughtful governance, equitable distribution, and an unwavering commitment to ethical development. As we navigate this transformative period, society’s actions will determine whether AI is harnessed as a force for collective empowerments or becomes a source of unprecedented division.
All quotes in this piece attributed to Sam Altman are sourced from this blog post.
It’s important to note that drug discovery is different from drug efficacy or safety. Just because a new drug can be discovered more quickly with AI does not mean that a new drug can be shown to be effective and safe more quickly.