Cognitive Mercantilism vs Cognitive Capitalism: Will Cheap AI Hoard Power or Expand Markets?
emax · x · 2026-11-02
emax distills Venkatesh Rao's essay into two opposing frames: "Cognitive Mercantilism," where AI providers treat machine intelligence as a scarce, hordable asset elites use for wealth and power while displacing workers; versus "Cognitive Capitalism" (also NLW's view), where elastic near-infinite demand means cheaper intelligence opens entirely new uses and universal new markets. He favors the latter.
Related event: 'Cognitive Mercantilism' Sparks Debate Over AI and the Future of Mind(2 posts)→
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