• Who Gets Paid When the Machine Does the Work?

    Who Gets Paid When the Machine Does the Work?

    Part 1 of 2: The Labor Clock This is a two-part piece. The labor restructuring is the most layered of the four clocks in the AI economic reconfiguration, so I’m breaking this up into two parts. Part 1 covers what the data already shows: who is capturing the productivity surplus,…

  • The roadtrip

    Tyler Cowen has one of his regular, random posts over at Marginal Revolution (excellent blog that is worth following): I have driven cross-country four times, at least if you count a 3/4 trip as valid.  I also have driving experience in virtually all states, including Hawaii and Alaska, neither of which…

  • Front-Loaded: The Economic Cost of AI’s Capital Concentration

    Front-Loaded: The Economic Cost of AI’s Capital Concentration

    The AI infrastructure industry faces a significant financial challenge, needing approximately $800 billion annually to cover interest on investments. As capital concentrates in this sector, it affects broader economic stability, with potential underfunding of critical areas like healthcare and climate resilience. Two paths lie ahead: successful returns or fiscal strain.

  • The Line That Changed Everything

    The Line That Changed Everything

    The more you learn, the more you realize how many “obvious” things were actually invented recently, and usually by accident. Take the idea that time moves in a straight line. Past on the left, future on the right, you’re somewhere in the middle. So obvious it barely registers as an…

  • How Apple Redefined Human-Machine Interaction Over 50 Years

    How Apple Redefined Human-Machine Interaction Over 50 Years

    The mid-1970s marked a transformative era for children interacting with technology, transitioning from gaming consoles to early computers. Apple played a pivotal role in making technology accessible and relevant, emphasizing human creativity and intent. This ongoing interaction established Apple as a cultural operating system, shaping modern understanding of technology’s role…

  • AI’s running in four different races. We’re in all of them

    AI’s running in four different races. We’re in all of them

    AI commentary is everywhere. Clarity is not. Over two decades in enterprise software, I’ve watched technology waves deliver differently than promised. What I’m seeing now isn’t one story — it’s four simultaneous economic restructurings in capital, labor, productivity, and sectors. Here’s a frame for tracking them together.

  • The uncanny valley of empathy

    The uncanny valley of empathy

    Here’s an excerpt from my latest Substack post: The aspirational AI customer service deployments today aim to not feel cold or mechanical. They are meant to be warm, patient, apparently attentive. They’ll remember what you said three turns ago. They’ll acknowledge your frustration. They tell you they understand. But is…

  • Random: Why the House Number Font Dominates American Homes

    Ever wonder why almost every house in America uses that same specific, slightly “fancy” font for its address? In this fascinating deep dive from Dime Store Adventures, we learn that the “House Number Font” isn’t actually a 1920s Art Deco artifact or a secret tribute to Chinese aesthetics, as the…

  • What happens when the taxpayer disappears?

    What happens when the taxpayer disappears?

    The rise of AI poses a significant challenge to funding federal governments, as it threatens to displace a substantial number of knowledge workers who contribute to tax revenue. With the U.S. relying heavily on individual income and payroll taxes, the potential decline in employment raises concerns about sustaining government income…

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