A wake-up call: The diminishing value of knowledge in the age of AI

The creation of artificial intelligence has ushered in an era of infinite knowledge an ecosystem where the scarcity of information no longer dictates value.

By Obadia Ismail Otim

We are on the cusp of a transformation that, though not yet fully visible to many, will fundamentally alter our understanding of value and progress.

The societal foundation we’ve built for centuries where knowledge is a scarce resource is rapidly eroding.

Historically, knowledge has been a commodity; you know something I don’t, and I pay/compensate you for that advantage.

This dynamic, however, is quickly becoming obsolete.

The creation of artificial intelligence has ushered in an era of infinite knowledge an ecosystem where the scarcity of information no longer dictates value.

What this generation has sparked with AI is not just a technological advancement but a redefinition of knowledge itself.

The speed at which AI is evolving doubling, tripling, expanding in ways humans cannot replicate will disrupt the very economic models that underpin our global systems.

Our traditional roles within society are being redefined, and we are at the precipice of a bifurcation within the human race.

We will inevitably split into two groups: those who resist the integration of machines into their lives and those who merge with or accept these machines as part of their identity.

AI is poised to reshape how we learn, how we earn, and, ultimately, how we interact with the world.

This is perhaps the most unsettling aspect of our present moment. As human beings, we are linear thinkers; we process information sequentially, and we perceive progress in a step by step manner.

Concepts such as exponential growth, which are inherent to AI, challenge our cognitive frameworks.

AI, by contrast, grows exponentially, perpetually doubling and tripling its capabilities.

This cycle is self-reinforcing AI is used to create more advanced versions of itself, which in turn create even more advanced iterations, ad infinitum.

The implications are staggering. We are not prepared for a superintelligent system that can autonomously solve its own problems be they computational, energy-related, or otherwise.

In fact, the AI that exists today is evolving so rapidly that it’s updating its own architecture faster than we can comprehend.

Human beings struggle to predict the future beyond a few months, yet AI is already reshaping its own trajectory every three months or less.

Consider the present: Major corporations like Amazon have already begun to hire more robots than humans.

These machines operate continuously, 24/7, without rest, complaints, or rights.

They are designed for efficiency, and they do not require compensation in the traditional sense.

As we look ahead, it becomes apparent that the industries which have long relied on human labor especially in services and manufacturing are increasingly capable of operating without human intervention.

If knowledge itself becomes ubiquitous and free, if industries no longer require the human workforce in the same capacity, we must ask: what is left for us? How do we define our roles in a society that no longer relies on traditional notions of labor, expertise, and intellectual capital?

The current paradigm is swiftly unraveling, and we must come to terms with this reality.

The myth that degrees, doctorates, and masters degrees will continue to be the golden tickets to success is rapidly losing its relevance.

Accepting this shift is not optional. It is happening whether we are ready for it or not.

The future is unfolding in real-time, and no amount of resistance can halt its progression.

We must face this change head-on and prepare for a world where the very nature of knowledge, work, and human purpose will be redefined.

It is not waiting for us to catch up; it is already here.

Advocate & Student of AI