ANTICIPATION
The rapid adoption of AIGs represents the greatest anthropological leap since the Neolithic era and the fundamental mistake made by contemporary analysts is to treat AI as a mere tool for task automation. In reality, AI is, for the first time, automating higher cognitive processes (synthesis, logic, formulation, creation).
Our team is making a major prediction here: that we are entering the era of various realities. We see the human brain, subjected to this technological regime, in the process of altering its structure and plasticity—a phenomenon that will not result in a linear decline in intelligence, but in a comprehensive biological reconfiguration that shatters reality into three distinct strata: a relativised objective reality, an automated machine reality, and a psychological reality re-enchanted by the return of magical thinking. This synaptic mutation carries within it the seeds of an unprecedented cognitive stratification of society, the geopolitical and democratic consequences of which will redefine the very notion of human sovereignty.
From Homeric memory to sensory hyper-specialisation
To understand the brain’s plasticity at work, a detour to the 5th century BC is essential. In Plato’s Phaedrus[1], Socrates vehemently opposed the invention of alphabetic writing, asserting that it would introduce forgetfulness into souls and provide only a ‘sham of knowledge’.
Ancient transformation – Orality ➔ Writing = Loss of pure memory / Gain of linear abstract thought
AI Transformation – Writing ➔ AI = Loss of linear logic / Gain of conceptual-visual thinking
From a neuroscientific perspective, Socrates was right on the fact that writing did indeed dismantle Homeric memory, namely the ability of humans in the oral era to memorise entire epics of thousands of verses thanks to rhythmic structures.
Login
EDITORIAL Among the many ways AI is reshaping our lives, perhaps the most profound one concerns the way we think. Our brains now "benefit" from cognitive crutches transforming their very [...]
INTERVIEW After 30 years in technology, and more recently in blockchain, Federico d’Annunzio – an Italian aristocrat and entrepreneur, 4th Prince of Montenevoso and descendant of Gabriele d’Annunzio – is [...]
TREND Laetitia Hoquetis-Sheppard is Digital Transformation&AI Lead at the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL/NATO), Estonia. She has 13 years’ experience in behavioural science, data analysis and transformation consultancy, including roles at [...]
ANALYSIS Mihai Nadin is Professor Emeritus at the Ashbel Smith College, University of Texas at Dallas. His career spans engineering, mathematics, digital technology, philosophy, semiotics, theory of mind and foresight [...]
WEAK SIGNAL Christopher H. CORDEY is a Swiss futurist and maieutician, founder of Futuratinow and Prosilience, and a partner at gaming the future. He edits the mµtators series and works [...]
METHOD In recent years, narratives surrounding all sorts of conflicts have seen a remarkable resurgence of what was previously known as ‘agitprop’ (on the Soviet side) or ‘psy-ops’ (on the [...]
RECOMMENDATIONS AI – A shift towards sovereignty Washington’s blocking of access to Anthropic’s latest models marks the end of the myth of AI as mere “frictionless” global software. Now treated [...]
