My own academic achievements are modest, generously put. I spent years at the Arts faculty of Stockholm University on Culture Studies, Literature, Swedish… only to leave the place sans diploma. However, I did two semesters of Theoretic Philosophy, studying Plato, Kant, Russell and such great thinkers. When somebody asked about my studies, the next question was always “what is the use of that?”. I never had a good reply, but I fantasized about a different world where philosophy would have a market value.
Fast forward three decades to the era of artificial intelligence. The summer of 2026 my fantasy came true. Or at least I thought so for about two weeks. AI companies started hiring philosophers! “When the answers are cheap, the questions become expensive” – neat copywriting! It is a tempting idea that the new technology demands insightful reasoning and the combined knowledge of philosophers through the ages. And how surprising that those companies that develop the technology would not only realise this but also act on it!
But alas, how naïve of me to buy this talk! I suppose it was the combination of nostalgia and wishful thinking that made me buy that Silicon Valley could demonstrate humilitude and after-thought. I woke up after a few weeks and realised the philosophers that so used to fascinate me are now the hostages of a group that always look to move faster and break more things.
Mass surveillance on an astronomic scale? Don’t worry we have hired philosophers!
Autonomous kill bots against civilians? Nothing to see here, we took guidance from somebody with a degree.
Mass value disruption, concentration of power and erosion of civil rights? Philosopher says okay.
This phenomenon inspired Netopia’s cartoonist Rodrigo to a new piece. Enjoy it here.
