A World Beyond AI: The Path to a Creativist Society
In this thought piece, I argue that we are in the midst of a dramatic transition from a consumerist to a creativist society. I will explore how we can intentionally navigate this shift to create a successful and resilient world. Please note that this narrative is mostly looked at from the European context.
I often ponder the world we are entering.
I remember Amy Webb saying we currently find ourselves in “The Great Transition”, and I believe she is right: we are entering a totally new societal era. However, the real question is, how do we safely navigate this tightrope of our current historical transition? And how do we intentionally create a society we desire despite the challenges?
The general direction of travel has been blurry in my mind until now. I have written about how AI will corner us into creativity, and what non-extractive industries could look like. However, over time, it finally became clear to me what is happening:
We are transitioning from a Consumerist to a Creativist society.
What is Creativism? “Creativism is the adoption of creative principles and practices as a way of life, applying the creative process to everything.” A term coined by Orna Ross in her book in 2014.
In this future, everyone is a creator, a sort of supercharged artist. We make the clothes we wear, the furniture we sit on, design the house we live in, create the films we watch, and more.
The integrity of both the individual and the community are the foundational pillars of a Creativist society. If we fail to prioritize these principles, we risk amplifying the self-validating and polarizing loops that currently define our world. This is why it is crucial for us to be intentional as we step into this new era of human history.
We are transitioning from a Consumerist to a Creativist society.
What is Causing This Shift?
Several factors are driving the world towards a more creative society:
- Accessibility of Means of Production: The tools and resources needed to create are becoming increasingly accessible to everyone. AI will magnify this trend exponentially.
- Alienation and Mistrust of Large-Scale Institutions: There is a growing sense of alienation and distrust towards institutions that mass-produce goods.
- Geopolitical Fragmentation: The world is becoming more fragmented, prompting a shift towards localized production and self-sufficiency.
- Desire for Community: People are yearning for a sense of community that feels lost in our modern, globalized world.
- Economics of Creation vs. Consumption: It is becoming cheaper to create rather than consume.
- Individuation and Fragmentation of Needs: The fragmentation of needs and the blossoming of individuation are leading to more personalized creations.
- Connection to Environment and Ownership: Humans have an intrinsic need to feel connected to their environment and the things they own. It is simply more fulfilling to make things than to buy them.
We can already see examples of the creativism trend in action:
- E-commerce Shift: The move from Amazon to Shopify for e-commerce businesses highlights a preference for more personalized, small-scale online stores.
- Local Food Revolution: The fragmentation of large food corporations like McDonald’s and Starbucks into local coffee shops and burger joints reflects a desire for unique, community-based dining experiences.
- Growth of Maker Spaces: Maker spaces and community workshops are becoming more common, offering tools and resources for people to build, create, and learn new skills.
- Urban Farming Initiatives: Community gardens and urban farms are gaining popularity, allowing people to grow their own food and reconnect with nature.
- Decentralized Energy Production: The adoption of solar panels and other renewable energy sources at the local level reduces reliance on large energy corporations and promotes self-sufficiency.
This is merely the beginning!
The tools and resources needed to create are becoming increasingly accessible to everyone. AI will magnify this trend exponentially.
Now, Imagine!
Let’s envision a scenario in the near- to mid-future.
You wake up from an ecstatic dream, with your EEG device indicating a spike in endorphins, oxytocin, and gamma brain wave activity. The dream was so blissful that you decide to share it with your trusted community. To share that feeling with others.
After breakfast, you stroll to your neighborhood farm. There, you leisurely harvest some vegetables and fruits. Next to the farm, a local public processing station awaits. You spend some time processing grains, making pasta for the dinner you plan to host later. You chat with neighbors as your items are packaged.
Afterward, you sit in the local park. Your voice assistant (that you created) reads out bids for your data. You get a good deal for data from your hike last week, selling it to a sports research organization. The payment is transferred to your account.
A notification comes in (notifications are bundled at specific moments based on assessed urgency to preserve your attention), informing you that a space in your neighborhood is available for a collective meditation group you had journaled about. You decide to accept the offer and pay for the two-week rental. Your assistance creates a post for your local network to attend.
Later, you meet your aunt for coffee. She mentions having a migraine, so you ask her bot (her nephew built for her) to check her vitals (she is still not used to having an AI assistant). It detects high blood pressure and suggests a morning exercise routine and diet to help her. You make sure it notifies her so her health gets back on track.
In the afternoon, back at home, you find yourself curious about marine life in the Philippines. Your bot creates a documentary for you to watch knowing what you like and narrates it to you in a way that a good friend would. The tone of the documentary is neutral and stays clear of fear-mongering (else your system would pick up on it). You then decide to draft a potential policy proposal you send to the local government for review.
As the day winds down, your voice assistant notifies you of five items in your house that could be sold for a decent price as inputs for new objects. Your clothes can be sent to a factory to be remade, and your old chairs can be sold for their wood. You decide it’s a good deal, place the items by your window, and know a drone will come to pick them up tomorrow morning.
Your assistant also lets you know there is a tree-planting initiative in your neighborhood. It says it would be good for you to meet there with your neighbors as you have not done so in a while. Also you’re a bit overdue to give back to your community. Sunday plans done!
NB: I purposefully included tech-enabled moments to illustrate what new roles tech could play. That being said there should be fewer moments of direct technological interaction than there are today. Technology should stand out of the way where possible.
The integrity of both the individual and the community are the foundational pillars of a Creativist society.
Foundational Principles of a Creative Society
Building on our vision of a hyper-creative society, here are some principles I believe we must follow to make this future a desirable reality:
Local and Personal Production: Imagine a world where everything you use is either created by you or by your immediate community. No more buying clothing from distant factories. Large, abstract corporate entities no longer sell you things; instead, you either make them yourself or buy them from local artisans and producers. This fosters closed-loop local economies, reducing the need to import essentials. This directly follows the Fab Lab philosophy.
Individual Wellbeing as Social Stability: As we each craft our own reality, it’s crucial to have mechanisms that alert us when our choices harm our wellbeing. Instead of banning unhealthy options outright, raising awareness about their harm can empower people to make better decisions.
Strong Human Connections for Resilience: Our systems should encourage direct human interactions, rather than acting as intermediaries. We’ve learned from the era of social media that direct human contact and engagement with other species are irreplaceable. Strong human connections build a resilient society, whereas weakened societal links can lead to collapse.
High Agency and Empowerment: In this envisioned future, individuals possess high agency, informed and empowered to make better decisions. Access to accurate information and intuitive tools allows people to understand the impact of their choices, fostering a society where informed decision-making is the norm. This empowerment leads to a more engaged and proactive populace, capable of shaping their lives and communities effectively.
Data Ownership and Control: In this future, individual data is a valuable asset. You have full control over where and how your data is shared. Moreover, you can sell your data to entities that need it, earning money simply by living your life.
Ecosystem Integration: A human species attuned to other species is essential for reinforcing its own understanding. Culturally, we recognize that isolating ourselves from other species leads to weakness and alienation. Consequently, our systems are designed to facilitate interaction and coexistence with non-human species.
While tech giants may not disappear, they will likely focus on providing the underlying technology, infrastructure and energy that supports this new world. It is key that we vigorously check these companies do not encode biases that favor them inside of the models that underpin society.
Technology enables the creative process without obstructing it, seamlessly operating in the background and feeling less present in our everyday lives.
This is the Creativist Society.
Societal Pillars of this new Creative World
To sustain the thriving creative world we’ve envisioned, it’s essential to recognize that societal needs don’t always have to be addressed by private companies. The right organizational vehicle should solve the appropriate societal need, whether it’s the government, NGOs, community-based models, or new forms of organizations that may yet emerge. Organizational vehicles to solve problems should be selected pragmatically rather than ideologically (imagine living beyond a capitalist and communist tug-of-war!). Today, there is an over-reliance on VC-funded startups to solve all problems, leading to a hyper-centralized, non-resilient world that serves the interests of a tiny group.
Public Maker Spaces
Maker spaces, inspired by the Fab Lab model, are community spaces where individuals can access tools and technology to create and innovate. These labs should be community-owned, state-owned, or in some cases, privately owned, ensuring that they serve the public interest rather than just private profit.
Fair Creative Licensing
In a creative economy, everyone can license their creativity. Individuals can sell their templates, objects, or any creations, allowing us to buy from individuals rather than corporations. This democratizes creativity and empowers people to monetize their talents directly.
Strong Mindset & Wellbeing
Mindset and wellbeing are crucial in a creative society. With immense creative power comes the responsibility to create intentionally, consciously, and healthily. This support should come from community-level initiatives or non-profit organizations, as tying wellbeing and spirituality to profit is culturally recognized as counterproductive.
Effective Incentive Design
Governments play a key role in designing incentives that foster creative development. Through policy and monetary incentives, governments can encourage individual creativity, leading to sturdy, resilient, and even joyful systems. Effective incentive design ensures that a creative society thrives sustainably and inclusively.
Organizational vehicles to solve problems should be selected pragmatically rather than ideologically
How do people earn money?
In the hyper-creative society we envision, the ways we earn money are evolving. Here’s how:
Sell Our Data (in a fair and informed way)
Individuals can sell their data to various models. Data bidding markets automatically connect individuals with buyers, as previously described. This is why I believe EU regulation is crucial. Without it, hyper-capitalism could transform into a sort of data communism, where data belongs to corporations, which in turn become quasi-corporation-states (see Horseshoe Theory). This is obviously undesirable as it leads to a corporate form of Totalitaranism.
The Evolving Influencer Economy
The influencer economy continues to grow. While this might sound negative, it’s actually a positive development. It means everyone can be independent and find their niche. As the influencer economy matures, it becomes less like the Wild West. We hence move away from compulsive content creation for maximized engagement. Influencers evolve into key opinion leaders and niche, high-quality information providers. People sell new knowledge, conduct personal research and citizen science, and share creative creations, which is individually monetized.
Human-in-the-Loop Gaps
AI models will always have gaps that require verification by qualified experts. Jobs to proofread, cross-check, and assist these imperfect systems will be assigned to qualified experts automatically. This ensures that the quality of the service delivered is always up to standard, providing a new avenue for employment in the creative economy.
Creation and Barter increases, Consuming decreases
In a creative and barter economy, people need less money. The margin no longer belongs to the corporation; instead, the value add is created by the individual for the individual. Goods and services can be exchanged rather than bought, eliminating the profit margin at every step.
Conclusion
As we look toward the future, it is essential to recognize the uncertainty that lies ahead. Yet, instead of succumbing to fear, we must begin to visualize an intentionally thriving world. If we continue to let fear guide us, we risk unintentionally scripting dystopian novels — something we’ve done enough of already.
The principles we’ve discussed — local and personal production, individual wellbeing, strong human connections, high agency and empowerment, ecosystemic integration, and sustainable economic practices — offer a roadmap to a future we actually want.
I believe the European Union is uniquely positioned and has already laid the foundations for such a societal model. With its focus on preserving the integrity of the individual, and community, the EU can lead the way in fostering a creative supranational societal model.
Let’s start creating and building this future together, with informed optimism and intention.
If you want to understand what kind of products we should build in this world, read my next piece on Regenerative Products.
