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Blog – Robots, Data, and Networks

janliphardt.com · 1,631 words · saved by 1 readers

Imagine you are a space traveler who just landed on Earth. As you explore the world, it must appear wondrous and bizarre. Why are there almost 200 separate nations? Why does an arbitrary straight line divide the two major economies of North America? Why are there 180 fiat currencies? Why do people pay other people to convert one currency into another, back and forth, in endless cycles? We humans take this all complexity for granted – it’s just the way the world works, right – but it must appear like a Rube Goldberg machine to a smart non-human observer. Given that it’s 2025, this sci-fi thought experiment has direct practical implications. As machines get smart, humans should anticipate a future in which machines build their own economy, suited to their particular goals and needs.

Robot money, Skill chips, and Efficiency-seeking Economies Imagine you are a space traveler who just landed on Earth. As you explore the world, it must appear wondrous and bizarre. Why are there almost 200 separate nations? Why does an arbitrary straight line divide the two major economies of North America? Why are there 180 fiat currencies? Why do people pay other people to convert one currency into another, back and forth, in endless cycles? We humans take this all complexity for granted – it’s just the way the world works, right – but it must appear like a Rube Goldberg machine

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