As AI shifts from obedient tool to influential force in our daily lives, philosopher-entrepreneur Brendan McCord argues that we need more than regulation or acceleration—we need a North Star. In this post, Charlie Mahoney explores McCord’s call to design AI around human flourishing, using a compass of autonomy, reason, and decentralization. It’s not about fearing machines or worshipping them—it’s about steering them with values older than code.

The future isn’t a road we’re traveling — it’s a path we’re building as we go, stone by stone. In this moment of explosive AI growth, we’re all masons, laying the groundwork for whoever comes next. Drawing from Sam Altman’s perspective on AI’s rapid evolution, this piece explores how we inherit the trails left by those before us, the choices we face in choosing the next direction, and the responsibility we share in shaping where humanity goes next.

This post is an open admission that I use AI to help write my blog—but not as a substitute for thinking or creating. I compare my approach to how The Edge from U2 uses echo: as part of the instrument, expanding the sound without replacing the player. From photography to cooking to the looming “supercharged Instagram effect,” I explore how AI can either deepen creativity or turn it into hollow performance. The difference comes down to authorship, authenticity, and the choice to make something real.

We’re sprinting toward a future where the smartest CEO in the room isn’t human. Former Google X exec Mo Gawdat believes the next 15 years will feel like a short-term dystopia—AI magnifying our worst instincts before we learn how to steer it. But if we survive the turbulence, we could enter an age of abundance and creativity unlike anything in history. Here’s what’s at stake, why it matters, and what it means for us.

We say we want less technology in our lives, but what we really want is technology we don’t notice. Lights that turn on by themselves, thermostats that predict our comfort—magic that fades into the background. The catch is that the more invisible tech becomes, the more dependent we are on it, and we don’t realize how much we’ve outsourced until the magic suddenly stops working.

As AI surpasses human intelligence in tasks from art to analysis, we face a profound question: if machines can do everything, what still makes us human? A humorous yet philosophical dive into meaning, curiosity, and the return of natural philosophy.

What if Steve Jobs’ “bicycle for the mind” just got upgraded with rocket boosters? This post explores how AI is reshaping the way we think—moving us from mental muscle power to maglev trains and cognitive autopilot. From computers to cognitive co-pilots, we trace the wild evolution of thought tools and ask: with all this speed, are we still steering?

In an age where AI can answer just about anything, the real power lies in asking the right questions. From Douglas Adams’ “42” to Elon Musk’s musings on inquiry, it’s clear: answers are cheap, but direction is everything. Prompting isn’t about manipulating machines—it’s about clarifying thought. Socrates knew this, and now, in a world of digital Deep Thoughts, so must we. Because the secret to navigating the promptocalypse isn’t knowing more. It’s asking better.

As AI systems take over more domains once reserved for human ingenuity, what’s left for the poets, philosophers, and ethically tortured intellectuals? Plenty, it turns out. This post explores how humanists can remain vital—by being the conscience, the storytellers, and the meaning-makers in a world increasingly run by algorithms.

AI tools like ChatGPT promise easy wins for overwhelmed students, but the real cost isn’t just academic—it’s cognitive and emotional. This post explores why the messy, uncomfortable parts of learning are where growth actually happens, and how outsourcing your thinking might leave you with A+ work and D- self-trust. Spoiler: brain push-ups are non-transferable. 💪

As artificial general intelligence (AGI) transforms the landscape of work, creativity, and education, we face a pivotal question: what makes us irreplaceably human? This post explores how educators can embrace emerging technologies like AI and XR not just to keep up—but to lead. From polymathic learning to emotionally resonant classrooms, we dive into the practical, philosophical, and profoundly human future of education in an AI-augmented world.

What do GDP, life expectancy, and your toaster have in common? Energy. This post explores why Sam Altman thinks abundant energy is the key to unlocking AI’s full potential—and why that might be great news for the future of humanity (and maybe your circuit breaker).

What if everything beyond your own mind—the world, other people, even AI—was just a projection of your consciousness? In this post, we explore how solipsism’s radical question takes on new urgency in the age of AI. From the classic ‘problem of other minds’ to AI’s mimicry of empathy, we examine whether synthetic intelligences might—or might not—have true inner lives. And if they do, what moral obligations arise? Solipsism challenges us to live with uncertainty. AI forces us to live with responsibility.

As AI races ahead, the real threat isn’t robot overlords—it’s humans misusing godlike tools with toddler-level responsibility. This post explores how we can defuse the existential risks of AI not by halting progress, but by cultivating wisdom, aligning incentives, and reimagining what it means to be human in an age of exponential change. Part roadmap, part reality check, and part rally cry for an AI-literate society.

What if the same data centers powering AI could also solve the global water crisis? This post dives into the HydroCompute Nexus—a bold idea to recycle the massive heat generated by AI servers to drive desalination and clean water production. It's a futuristic win-win that turns waste into life-sustaining resource, showing how abundance-thinking and clever engineering could reshape both AI infrastructure and environmental impact.

Forget scarcity—Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) could usher in an era of radical abundance. This post explores how AGI might revolutionize productivity, eliminate many costs of labor, and redefine what it means to create value. From universal education to limitless clean energy, we unpack the economic, social, and philosophical shifts on the horizon—and why preparing now matters more than ever.