Venkatesh Rao: AI panic structurally resembles fears around early capitalism
ianand · hn · 2026-10-26
Venkatesh Rao publishes 'Cognitive Mercantilism' on his Contraptions blog, arguing that today's AI panic is structurally similar to the fears provoked by early capitalism. He uses historical analogy to frame how AI is revaluing cognitive labor the way early capitalism reshaped wealth and social relations — a macro essay on the socio-economic meaning of AI rather than a technical piece.
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