AI and the Human Condition - Stratechery

I think Ben Thompson is an excellent writer and analyst. I think this is worth reading as I think a somewhat optimistic take on AI at the moment - https://stratechery.com/2026/ai-and-the-human-condition/ ↗

On the one hand, it’s hard to argue that so much of the world is better than it’s ever been, and it’s logical that that would continue to some degree.

My main concern with his optimism in the space is with the acceleration of the wealth gap of the hyper wealthy and the “rest of us”. It’s hard to fathom the wealth that billionairs have, and that’s only accelerating. One of my main concerns with AI, honestly similar to the current tech monopolies, is that it will be a way for the hyper rich to even further accelerate their wealth. Sure, things have gotten better for everyone as a whole over history, but the inequity between the hyper wealthy and everyone else is historically a pretty recent phenomenon and I don’t see it getting any better any time soon without some serious systemic corrections, and AI will be another way for the rich to get richer and push all of the negative consequences that inevitably will come along with it to the rest of us.

One of my favorite illustrations of just how much wealth the ultra rich have is this site - https://eattherichtextformat.github.io/1-pixel-wealth/ ↗. I’m not even sure the last time it was updated but whenever it was, it’s only gotten worse since then.