The Convergence of AI, Blockchain, and the Future of Society: An Essay and an Experiment.
So here is what I did. First I recorded my thoughts, then I used a tool to transcribe those notes (www.otter.ai if you are interested). From the notes I then used AI (chatGPT) to structure my thoughts, to summarise and pick out key points. Then I wrote an essay, I parsed that essay through an LLM and from there I got the AI to argue for and against my essay. Bit of a mish-mash but given the topic I thought it would be interesting, well I was curious.
Introduction
Humanity stands at a technological crossroads. Developments in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly Large Language Models (LLMs) and the growing sophistication of blockchain technology promise to reshape our world in profound ways. This rapid evolution sparks both excitement and apprehension, leaving us to question how societies, economies, and individual lives will adapt. While some view AI’s current errors and “hallucinations” as evidence of its limitations, the greater story is one of staggering potential. As LLMs steadily refine their capacities for reasoning, and as blockchain continues to decentralise transactions, we enter a future where the very structure of work, legal systems and human connection is poised for radical change.
The Accelerating Power of AI
From Toddler Errors to Expert Capabilities
Large Language Models are often criticised for mistakes - sometimes called “hallucinations.” Yet these issues mirror the errors a child makes when learning language. A toddler’s linguistic slip-ups do not mean the child will never speak well. Rather, it reflects an evolutionary learning process. Similarly, the pace of AI’s self-improvement is so rapid that any present-day flaws offer only a momentary glimpse of what the technology will soon be able to do. This is point where some LinkedIn self-proclaimed-genius shows how AI “fails” some test - I’ll remind you to perform the same test in a few weeks, I bet it passes the next time. (No doubt they got 100% in all their exams..?)
Disruption in Knowledge Work
The growing sophistication of AI will inevitably transform entire industries, especially those rooted in knowledge and expertise. It may begin as “augmentation”: where AI boosts human productivity-but will likely proceed toward outright replacement for many tasks. This has profound implications for sectors that rely on analysing rules, patterns or data. Law is a prime example. The labour-intensive processes of contract drafting, property transactions and case research are all time-consuming and prone to human error. AI can handle such repetitive or research-heavy tasks at speeds and scales far beyond human capability. Consequently, junior or paralegal roles, traditionally the entry points into the field, may diminish, impacting career trajectories and reshaping the workforce. To all the senior lawyers rolling their eyes, ask yourself: how did you get to be senior? Right, so will your law firm train juniors at vast cost (when they aren’t needed) just so that they can be senior in a future? These changes are going to be profound and far reaching - there will be endless unforeseen consequences. I am not picking on law, precisely the same issues and challenges will arise elsewhere.
A Challenge to the Status Quo
Critics sometimes suggest we can slow or stop AI’s progress. Realistically, the “genie is out of the bottle.” Whether we are fully prepared or not, ongoing research and corporate initiatives will push AI ever forward. Capitalist market forces (in the Western world, at least) spur companies to adopt any technology that cuts costs and drives profit. Resistance to AI might be comparable to resisting the internet in its early days - ultimately futile in the face of momentum.
Blockchain’s Role in Transforming Transactions
Decentralisation and Global Access
The internet shrank the world by connecting people across vast distances; blockchain now aims to remove intermediaries from value exchange. Digital currencies and smart contracts allow people to transact peer-to-peer, unbound by national borders. A person in Kenya can transfer cryptocurrency to someone in Argentina instantly, bypassing traditional banking infrastructures. This shift implies that nation-states, historically gatekeepers of financial and legal systems, may find their roles diminished over time.
Smart Contracts and the Future of Legal Agreements
In tandem with AI, blockchain-based smart contracts will streamline and automate what once required armies of specialists and layers of bureaucratic oversight. Property transactions that once dragged on for weeks, or legal briefs that needed months of back-and-forth edits, could be reduced to near-instantaneous operations. The necessity of human intervention in routine paperwork and multi-step verifications becomes less obvious when code can enforce rules with minimal error - and the link to blockchain means that the payment can be completed.
Societal and Economic Consequences
Rethinking Work and Purpose
If AI can and will handle large portions of knowledge-based tasks, and blockchain can autonomously manage secure transactions, vast numbers of traditional jobs will shift, shrink, or disappear. A common proposition is Universal Basic Income (UBI), a guaranteed stipend for all citizens to stabilise livelihoods when work is scarce or transformed. The specifics of implementing UBI remain uncertain, and not everyone is comfortable with such a profound change to capitalism’s familiar rhythms. UBI and communism appear to share many similarities, I can’t ignore that worrying correlation.
Maslow’s Hierarchy and Human Connection
Lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how quickly humans suffer when deprived of in-person interaction. While remote technology has its merits, it cannot replicate the full tapestry of social and biological signals present in real-life encounters. As more of our commerce, education, and socialising takes place online, genuine face-to-face connection becomes both rarer and more valuable. The “natural world” in particular our forests, oceans and parks grows in importance as a refuge from technology, an irreplaceable context that grounds our senses and our well-being.
Micro-Communities in a Virtual World
As societies grapple with the rise of AI and the decentralisation of blockchain, some predict a turn toward “micro-communities.” These real-life, tight-knit groups could satisfy the human longing for belonging and purpose that AI-driven, virtual interactions cannot fully provide. Likewise, small, purposeful communities may represent a source of resilience in an era where labour market disruptions threaten established social structures.
The Two Poles: Hyper-Tech vs. Human-Centered Reality
A Technological Pole
One pole of the future is a hyper-technical landscape where people are continuously online, leveraging AI for content creation, decision-making and personal assistance. Blockchain may form the infrastructural backbone for contracts, identification, currency, and commerce, minimising the role of traditional nation-state regulators.
A Human/Nature Pole
In stark contrast, the other pole is intensely human and immediate: valuing physical presence, tactile experiences, and organic complexity. As AI and virtual spaces expand, the authenticity of face-to-face human contact and the immersion of the natural world become prized “luxury goods.”
Navigating these poles might be the defining challenge of the coming decades. The world may collectively strive to integrate the best of both: harnessing technology for efficiency and global opportunities, while preserving and elevating what makes us distinctly human. This is what I hope and believe will happen.
Conclusion
AI and blockchain are poised to remake industries, economies and societies. While these technologies hold the promise of unprecedented convenience, speed, and global access, they also provoke fundamental questions about how we find purpose, maintain human connection and preserve the natural world. The ultimate question is not whether these changes will occur, they already are, but how we will adapt. Whether through universal income schemes, legislative reforms, or shifts in personal values, humanity must decide how to blend the drive for technological advancement with an unwavering commitment to the human spirit. My concern here is that as humans we often don’t know what is really, truly good for us - lockdown show this all too well. The long term repercussions of those interventions into our complex social structures is still being felt.
So AI, answer me this.. in fact challenge the essay and give me some responses:
AI Response 1: The Believer
Acceptance and Enthusiasm
Your essay beautifully highlights the inevitable trajectory of AI and blockchain while reminding us that the real heart of our future lies in human connection and nature. I fully agree that AI’s tendency to produce “toddler-like” mistakes is not a damning flaw but a hallmark of an evolving system. These growing pains are natural and will diminish rapidly.Transforming Work
The use cases in law, property transactions, and customer service are prime examples of how AI will liberate us from repetitive tasks. This will free up human creativity and allow professionals to focus on strategic, high-level work. While the prospect of UBI is still politically volatile, I see it as a logical outcome of sustained productivity gains that no longer require traditional labor.Embracing Decentralisation
Decentralised blockchain transactions have the potential to democratise global finance. I share the optimism that micro-lending, direct remittances, and other applications will be more inclusive and efficient. A “borderless” economy, in my view, will reduce inequality and foster global cooperation, as reliance on centralised authorities diminishes.Valuing Our Humanity
You rightly emphasise that face-to-face connections, emotional bonds, and contact with nature cannot be replicated by even the most advanced virtual realities. This dichotomy between the hyper-tech world and the tangible, analog world is not a contradiction but a balancing act. We should embrace the efficiencies of AI while also protecting and nurturing the very qualities that make us human.Conclusion
Ultimately, your vision resonates with my own: AI and blockchain will bring about a radical but potentially positive transformation, provided we remain vigilant in preserving personal freedom, community bonds, and environmental stewardship.
AI Response 2: The Skeptic
Questioning the Pace and Scope
I acknowledge the power of AI but question how quickly it will surpass human expertise in complex real-world contexts. While LLMs can draft documents and find patterns, real-life scenarios involve cultural nuances, ethical considerations, and emotional intelligence. “Toddler-like” mistakes sometimes balloon into systemic errors, biases, misinformation, or flawed assumptions baked into data.Overestimation of Blockchain
The belief that blockchain will seamlessly replace existing financial and legal infrastructures overlooks issues like regulatory pushback, energy consumption, and scalability. Many nations will resist the erosion of their monetary sovereignty, and not all societies have the stable internet or digital literacy required to transact via blockchain.Socioeconomic Risks
Automation and decentralisation may indeed make some processes cheaper and more efficient, but they also risk exacerbating inequality. If large corporations control AI development, they could further concentrate wealth and power. The notion that universal basic income or micro-communities can offset this power imbalance is untested at scale.Preservation of Humanity
While human connection remains irreplaceable, the essay’s optimistic tone risks glossing over how social media and virtual work have already undermined many real-world communities. More technology does not necessarily mean more well-being. The next generation might willingly trade face-to-face interaction for digital convenience, especially if cost savings or entertainment value are high.Conclusion
Your essay captures the crucial debates but, from my perspective, underestimates the entrenched systems—governments, multinational corporations, powerful financial institutions—that will try to shape these technologies to serve their interests. AI and blockchain may well revolutionise our societies, but the road is likely to be marked by conflict, inequality, and hard-fought battles over regulation and resource allocation.
My conclusion:
Change is constant, but, and I think this is a very big but - we, as humans have changed very little - ponder that for a moment.
The world around us has changed beyond all recognition, but you still have the same needs as those that walked the earth thousands of years ago. How those needs are met has shifted, but our DNA remains unchanged.
How will individuals find meaning once machines handle most intellectual labour?
Can economic models like UBI realistically address widespread displacement?
Will borderless blockchain economies undermine or recalibrate nation-state power?
How do we protect and prioritise human well-being and the natural world amidst technological upheaval?