31 May 2026

The modern "iron-carbon civilization" predicted by Isac Asimov

 Isac Asimov perfectly predicted (in 1950) our social resistance to AI.


We are afraid of technology (we always are).

Afraid of losing jobs - to robots.

Ethical issues.

Fear of the unknown. Fear of change.


In his novels, Asimov designed and examined societies with few stupid robots, and with few very smart robots; societies that rely on massive cheap robot labour; balanced societies; as well as societies largely manipulated by robots.


He invented the concept of "iron-carbon civilization", to describe the dynamics of humans and robots/AI, how we learn to cooperate, and coexist.


This is what we witness today !


We learn what AI is, and does. 

We get INCREDIBLE economic benefits.

We revolt, and resist. 

We define artificial rules for what AI-generated art is, vs. "real" art. 

We create AI agents to simulate exactly what we do. We bitch that AI cannot imitate us perfectly.

We detect AI-generated work, and then we train AI agents to avoid detection.


We are afraid.

We adapt.


We live in tremendous times. 


[Social experiment: this post has zero-AI. Did anyone notice? Is this good, or bad?]

No comments:

Post a Comment

The modern "iron-carbon civilization" predicted by Isac Asimov

 Isac Asimov perfectly predicted (in 1950) our social resistance to AI. We are afraid of technology (we always are). Afraid of losing jobs -...