Can humans expect empathy from superintelligent entities once they are here? What does it mean when your doctor is an algorithm? And what will people do when there is no more work for them – or will there? your doctor is an algorithm? A super interesting talk with Yuval Harari, the author of «Sapiens» and now «Homo Deus». So many takeaways, but what instantly stuck with me: how he describes religion as a virtual reality game.
From Weekly Filet #232, in March 2017.
🔗
Fully agree. (not convinced by the sales pitch towards the end, though)
From Weekly Filet #226, in February 2017.
🔗
An excellent outline of what lies ahead. If you’re interested in the topic, here are some good pieces on the future of work I’ve shared in previous Weekly Filets.
From Weekly Filet #214, in June 2015.
🔗
Automation of human work will be one of the defining issues of the coming ten, twenty years. We’ve entered a phase where robots not only replace physical work previously done by humans, but brain work. This brief 15 minute explainer video by CGP Grey does a great job putting the development in historical perspective – and points out why hardly anyone’s job will be safe. Better watch it now before a robot does it for you.
From Weekly Filet #174, in August 2014.
🔗
«Because if robots and AI replace people for many of the things we do today, the new fields we create will be built on the huge number of people those robots and AI systems made available.»
From Weekly Filet #168, in July 2014.
🔗
Free money for everyone is one of the stories about Switzerland that have travelled across the globe recently. As Swiss people will get to vote on a basic income, a lot of questions have arisen and remain open. This interesting article from the Netherlands looks at real-life experiments that might prove that free money does not remove incentives to work and leaves everyone better of. I remain skeptical of the idea – mainly for reasons, though, that are not mentioned in the article: It will create a rift between those eligible for a basic income and those who aren’t and I shouldn’t be at all surprised if it would lead to ever tighter immigration laws.
From Weekly Filet #148, in January 2014.
🔗
A thought-provoking essay by anthropologist David Graeber (author of «Debt: The First 5000 Years»).
From Weekly Filet #126, in August 2013.
🔗
Robots will replace 70% of all jobs. Don’t believe it? Check which of the Seven Stages of Robot Replacement you’re currently at.
From Weekly Filet #100, in January 2013.
🔗
A great read (in German) on automation and how it might eventually lead to an unconditional basic income for everyone.
From Weekly Filet #69, in May 2012.
🔗
Make sense of what’s happening, and imagine what could be.
Carefully curated recommendations on what to read, watch and listen to. For nerds and changemakers who love when something makes them go «Huh, I never thought of it this way!».
Undecided? Learn more | Peek inside