David Duvenaud: fear of losing meaning from AI job loss evolved to prevent fatal ostracism
DavidDuvenaud · x · 2026-10-09
David Duvenaud argues that fearing "loss of meaning" from AI-driven job loss isn't trivial compared to fearing death: the desire for meaning evolved to prevent ostracism, which was potentially fatal. Most sources of meaning (helping others, being skilled) are also reasons people support you—so it's the same fear at an evolutionary level.
Related event: Researcher: AI job-loss anxiety stems from fear of social exclusion(2 posts)→
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