
The Parable of the Yacht-Building Machine
Once, a man built cars. Later, instead of laboring to build cars by hand, his son found easier work operating a car-building machine. Still later, software was written that could operate car-building machines unattended, so his grandson found work driving cars for the people who wrote that software. Now, software can also drive cars, so all of the drivers will become an entrepreneur, and will found an AI startup to write more and better software to drive cars. The other eight billion people can labor to build yachts for the entrepreneur. Or perhaps they will work to construct a yacht-building machine, that they can take turns operating.
Newsletter
Thoughtful essays on belief, bubbles, and AI.


Rethinking Rational Economic Stories
Idiocy AI is a research-driven blog from an early-stage AI startup, exploring how narratives, trust, and shared illusions drive coordination, innovation, and surprising patterns of economic growth.
Contact us
Have questions, critiques, or collaboration ideas? Reach out to discuss research, media, or partnerships around AI narratives, and coordination through collective belief.
