In a world saturated with AI-generated content and autonomous agents, the ability to prove one's humanness is the new foundational economic asset. A verifiable reputation, built on a track record of creativity, governance, and sound judgment, becomes more valuable than a traditional resume, serving as the essential trust anchor for all digital and economic interactions.
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As AI automates tasks and replicates knowledge, what remains fundamentally human is our personal narrative. The collection of experiences, memories, successes, and failures shaping who we are cannot be generated by AI, making authentic storytelling a core human differentiator.
In the age of AI, the new standard for value is the "GPT Test." If a person's public statements, writing, or ideas could have been generated by a large language model, they will fail to stand out. This places an immense premium on true originality, deep insight, and an authentic voice—the very things AI struggles to replicate.
Once AI surpasses human intelligence, raw intellect ceases to be a core differentiator. The new “North Star” for humans becomes agency: the willpower to choose difficult, meaningful work over easy dopamine hits provided by AI-generated entertainment.
As AI commoditizes execution and intellectual labor, the only remaining scarce human skill will be judgment: the wisdom to know what to build, why, and for whom. This shifts economic value from effort and hard work to discernment and taste.
As AI makes information and basic skills universally accessible (e.g., perfect cover letters), the most valuable assets become "secrets"—institutional knowledge, network access, and interpersonal information that LLMs cannot access. This will incentivize professionals to hoard this non-public information as their primary currency.
As AI handles analytical tasks, the most critical human skills are those it cannot replicate: setting aspirational goals, applying nuanced judgment, and demonstrating true orthogonal creativity. This shifts focus from credentials to raw intrinsic talent.
As AI-generated 'slop' floods platforms and reduces their utility, a counter-movement is brewing. This creates a market opportunity for new social apps that can guarantee human-created and verified content, appealing to users fatigued by endless AI.
In a world saturated with AI-generated content, work that is verifiably human-made will command a premium. Similar to how consumers seek out organic food, audiences will actively seek and value the authenticity, personality, and craftsmanship of human-driven content.
Economist Tyler Cowen predicts that as AI makes information ubiquitous and cover letters perfect, value will shift to non-public knowledge, or "secrets." Confidential insights on how networks operate and decisions are made, shared through human relationships, will become critical. A trusted human who can vouch for you will be more important than ever.
Even if AI can perfectly replicate all goods and services, human desire for authenticity, connection, and imperfection will create a premium for human-provided labor. This suggests new economies will emerge based not on efficiency, but on providing what is uniquely and quirkily human.
