Beyond the Election: A Vision for Human Progress

As results settle, let’s shift focus to the power of AI, markets, and innovation to transform lives, grow economies, and foster democratic values

As we wake up the day after Election Day, results are largely in, though still not quite final as this newsletter goes to print at midnight. No matter the final result, it’s an understatement to say this political season has been tense: A survey reports 87% of voters believe America will suffer permanent damage if their candidate loses. In light of such stark divides, I think we could all use an extra dose of optimism today.

I’ve rounded up three big ideas from AI leaders that offer a hopeful outlook on what lies ahead and some practical guidance on how to make the most of the technological power now unfolding. If the news today is filled with political chaos, these essays remind us there’s a larger, generative force in human creativity and progress that transcends the latest elections. These essays offer us a way to pause and consider a different kind of future — one filled with prosperity, innovation, and human creativity that thrives beyond the limits of any one election cycle. We may feel the weight of the moment, but let’s also look forward to the potential for goodness that lies ahead.

I highly recommend reading each in its entirety, but if you’re busy at the moment, here’s the TL;dr.

The Intelligence Age

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, starts us off with his vision of AI as an amplifier of human potential, empowering individuals with tools that allow us to solve complex problems, access virtual experts, and drive a wave of shared prosperity that reaches further than ever before. While he acknowledges challenges, he’s certain AI will bring transformative advances — think solutions for healthcare, climate change, and scientific discovery — making our future lives almost unrecognizable to those living today. Here are three highlights.

1. The Power and Progress of Deep Learning: Altman attributes the rapid advances in AI to the scalable success of deep learning, which has improved predictably with greater compute and data. This scalability allows AI to become increasingly capable of helping people solve difficult problems and innovate faster. By dedicating resources to deep learning, society has laid the groundwork for a future where AI will continue to improve and offer tangible benefits, such as autonomous personal assistants and better healthcare.

2. Entering the Intelligence Age: Altman sees AI as the foundation of a transformative era that will bring advancements across sectors. He argues that with abundant compute and energy, AI can unlock massive prosperity, make breakthroughs in science routine, and tackle global challenges like climate change. However, he warns that if infrastructure and energy resources aren’t scaled up, AI might become a scarce asset for the wealthy, leading to inequality and conflict. Broad access to AI will require abundant infrastructure and efficient, affordable energy.

3. The Future of Work and Human Purpose: While AI will reshape the labor market, Altman believes it will create more opportunities for people to pursue meaningful work and positive-sum activities. AI will free society from outdated job structures, enabling individuals to amplify their creativity and usefulness to one another. Reflecting on past technological shifts, he emphasizes that while jobs will evolve, people’s desire to create and be useful will remain constant. In the Intelligence Age, prosperity will expand, and new ways of working will emerge, allowing humanity to focus on innovative and fulfilling endeavors.

Machines of Loving Grace: How AI Could Transform the World for the Better

In a long essay released last month, Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, envisions how advanced AI could transform the world for the better if developed responsibly. Often associated with AI risk due to his focus on safety, Amodei outlines a radically positive future if these risks are managed. He likens advanced AI to a “country of geniuses in a datacenter” — a vast network of highly intelligent systems capable of solving complex problems across diverse fields, from biology to governance. Advanced AI drastically speeds up progress and elevates quality of life, making a world where well-being, equity, and freedom are accessible to all. Here are my takeaways:

1. Revolutionary Progress in Health and Neuroscience: Amodei — who earned his doctorate degree in biophysics from Princeton University and was a postdoctoral scholar at the Stanford University School of Medicine — suggests advanced AI could compress a century’s worth of medical and biological breakthroughs into a few years, eradicating diseases, extending human lifespans, and enabling a new era of mental health care. By serving as a virtual researcher capable of autonomously designing and running experiments, AI could uncover new treatment methods, identify the root causes of mental illness, and help humans achieve greater cognitive freedom. With advanced neuro-interventions and personalized treatments, the world could see significant improvements in both physical and mental well-being.

2. Economic Equity and Global Development: Amodei envisions AI as a force that could narrow global inequalities by providing accessible health solutions, economic policies, and essential resources to developing nations. He acknowledges challenges like corruption and economic complexity but argues that AI’s ability to optimize logistics and healthcare distribution could improve quality of life across poorer regions. AI-powered tools may also foster economic growth by supporting local infrastructure, food security, and climate mitigation, ultimately lifting billions out of poverty and fostering more equitable global development.

3. Strengthening Democracy and Fostering Purpose in Work: Amodei highlights the potential for AI to enhance democratic governance by countering propaganda, supporting impartial legal systems, and providing better access to government services. Yet, he warns that this outcome isn’t guaranteed, as AI could just as easily be used by authoritarian regimes. In terms of human purpose, Amodei emphasizes that while AI will automate many tasks, people will continue to find meaning in personal achievements and relationships. He believes the economy will need to adapt fundamentally as AI takes on more roles, potentially evolving toward a new societal structure that balances productivity with human fulfillment.

The sequence of these amazing advances gives Amodei reason for optimism. From his conclusion:

It is easy to argue that children shouldn’t die of disease if we can prevent it, and easy from there to argue that everyone’s children deserve that right equally. From there it is not hard to argue that we should all band together and apply our intellects to achieve this outcome. Few disagree that people should be punished for attacking or hurting others unnecessarily, and from there it’s not much of a leap to the idea that punishments should be consistent and systematic across people. It is similarly intuitive that people should have autonomy and responsibility over their own lives and choices. These simple intuitions, if taken to their logical conclusion, lead eventually to rule of law, democracy, and Enlightenment values. If not inevitably, then at least as a statistical tendency, this is where humanity was already headed. AI simply offers an opportunity to get us there more quickly—to make the logic starker and the destination clearer.

The Techno-Optimist Manifesto

Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen published “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto” last October but I include here to round out the discussion. Andreessen champions the belief that technology and free markets are the essential engines driving human progress and prosperity. Rejecting the pessimistic view that technology harms society, he argues it actually powers productivity, raises living standards, and offers solutions to challenges like hunger, energy, and disease. With slowing population growth and limited natural resources, technology becomes the primary path forward for sustainable growth and problem-solving. Here are three takeaways:

1. Free Markets as Innovation Engines: Andreessen asserts free markets are vital for technological advancement, adapting to society’s needs and driving ongoing innovation. By fostering individual choice and competition, markets create wealth that benefits all participants, while centralized control, he argues, leads to inefficiency and stagnation. The combination of markets and technology — what he calls the “techno-capital machine” — keeps societies dynamic and continually generates prosperity.

2. Intelligence and Energy as Foundations: Andreessen emphasizes intelligence (both human and artificial) and abundant energy are the two core elements of a prosperous society. He sees artificial intelligence as a tool that enhances human potential and problem-solving, while nuclear energy provides a sustainable, powerful solution for global energy needs. Together, intelligence and energy propel society forward, supporting higher standards of living without environmental compromise.

3. A Future of Abundance through Technology: Andreessen envisions technology as the gateway to abundance, where falling prices and greater accessibility elevate quality of life for everyone. By pushing the boundaries of innovation, society can reduce material scarcity and expand prosperity. This abundance-driven model invites more people to participate in economic growth and ensures a future rich with opportunity for generations to come.

In Other’s Words

Today, we share three thoughts on democracy and voting. The first is from Archibald MacLeish, poet, playwright, lawyer, and statesman.

Democracy is never a thing done. Democracy is always something that a nation must be doing.

Next up is Norman Cousins, former editor of the once-iconic Saturday Review.

In a democracy, the individual enjoys not only the ultimate power but carries the ultimate responsibility.

We leave the final word to Abraham Lincoln.

Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.

Onward and Upward.