'Culture Is Becoming a Dark Forest': AI Race May Destroy the Knowledge Commons It Built On
erikphoel · x · 2026-09-10
A viral essay argues intellectual work is becoming a 'dark forest': creators must toil silently, since one prompt can produce an almost-as-good version and mine away the reward. Successes still appear but 'never collaboratively or in the open' — statues of unclear origin found at dawn. USV's Albert Wenger adds that AI destroying the knowledge commons it was built on would be a sad outcome.
Related event: Erik Hoel's Essay: AI Is Turning Culture into a Dark Forest(10 posts)→
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