Welcome to a special ‘double feature’ of The Future With Friends, where we explore a two-part scenario set in the year 2043. In this first instalment, Simon Waller and Dr Jason Fox dive into The Future of Continuity (of The Machine), imagining a world where AI plays a central role in shaping human experiences.
As the machine takes over the stories we tell and the systems we trust, what becomes of creativity, critical thinking, and human connection? This episode unpacks a possible future dominated by optimisation, gamification, and algorithmic control - where megacorporations govern attention, and metrics dictate meaning.
Through the metaphor of the “infinite garden,” Simon and Jason explore the tension between compliance and curiosity, raising urgent questions about what we might lose when everything is engineered to work perfectly.
This is just the beginning. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we explore The Future of Continuity (Of Life).
TAKEAWAYS:
- AI’s growing influence prompts deep questions about the continuity of culture, creativity, and human agency.
- In a world driven by optimisation, compassion and critical thinking are quietly eroding.
- Algorithmic storytelling has the power to shape public consensus—and deepen polarisation.
- Meaningful conversations about the future require vulnerability, not just vision.
- Collaboration with AI can fuel creativity, but only if we remain active participants.
- Navigating the blurred line between personal and professional identity is an ongoing challenge.
- Independent journalism is more essential than ever as a counterbalance to algorithmic control.
- Compliance is easy—but it’s also the path of least resistance.
- The opposite of a hero isn’t a villain—it’s the bystander.
- Metrics might offer short-term gains, but they often distort long-term meaning.
- In our pursuit of efficiency, what essential human qualities are we leaving behind?
- And perhaps the biggest question of all: what does meaningful progress actually look like?
GUEST:
Dr Jason Fox