Learning in the Intimacy Economy | Part 1
Learning in the Intimacy Economy | Part 1
Attention ➡️ Intimacy
Dave Edwards has been a friend and a pioneer in the innovation economy for over two decades. He began his career as a research associate with Mary Meeker at the dawn of the Internet. Dave was also the first Wall Street analyst to focus on sustainability (long before it was a thing) during his time as a Partner at ThinkEquity, my former firm.
Dave also worked as a venture capitalist where he focused on investing in green technology. Now, he and his wife Helen are at the forefront of AI with their company, Artificiality. We are immensely grateful for their work on this piece and were thrilled to connect them with members of our education network for insights that contributed to this tremendous research piece.
– MM
The following is an excerpt from Learning in the Intimacy Economy, a white paper written by Dave and Helen Edwards, the founders of Artificiality, in collaboration with Dash Media.
Artificiality is dedicated to unraveling AI's impact on individuals, organizations, and society through research, publications, and events.
The attention economy, where companies monetize users' time and focus on digital platforms, has become a familiar concept. AI algorithms curate personalized content feeds and power the recommendation systems, keeping users engaged based on their online behaviors and inferred preferences.
This model of personalization is limited by the data we consciously provide, yet also relies on inferences drawn from information we might not even realize we are sharing. At times, the “people like you” style inferences accurately predict preferences by drawing on patterns of behavior observed in similar users. But often these inferences reveal how little current technology truly understands us, as we expose only a fraction of ourselves online. That is all about to change.
Conversational, generative AI changes our relationship with technology. By enabling genuine interaction, it allows us to form a relationship with technology. We can converse, learn, and co- create with AI. It can help us solve problems—even our most personal problems if we tell it enough about ourselves.
This shift opens the door to what we call the Intimacy Economy. In this new paradigm, humans trade intimate information for enhanced functionality. The more context we provide to the AI about ourselves, the better it can interpret our intent and assist us. This deep understanding— and the trust it requires—will form the foundation of the Intimacy Economy. The trade-off is clear: your personal information in exchange for functionality. The more you tell an AI system about the context of you, the better it will be able to interpret the intent of your interaction and help you in your current workflow. This exchange is the foundation of the Intimacy Economy and hinges on evolving concepts of trust and privacy.
Intimacy will center around our needs, goals, motivations, and desires, both explicit and implicit. As AI evolves to perform tasks and exhibit traits once considered "uniquely human," such as understanding complex emotions, creating art, and making decisions, it will reshape our interaction with technology. For instance, imagine an AI assistant that schedules your day. It starts by considering your explicit inputs—your work meetings, deadlines, and personal appointments. But over time, it begins to recognize implicit patterns, like when you're most productive, how you feel after long meetings, or when you tend to skip tasks. Eventually, the AI suggests not only when to schedule meetings but also recommends taking a break before difficult tasks, or even rearranging your schedule based on your mood and energy levels. As it becomes more attuned to your needs, the AI transitions from simply being a tool to feeling like a deeply personalized assistant, influencing how you structure your day in ways that blur the line between functionality and intimacy.
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Full piece here: Learning in the Intimacy Economy
Helen Edwards is a Co-Founder of Artificiality. She previously co-founded Intelligentsia.ai (acquired by Atlantic Media) and worked at Meridian Energy, Pacific Gas & Electric, Quartz, and Transpower.
Dave Edwards is a Co-Founder of Artificiality. He previously co-founded Intelligentsia.ai (acquired by Atlantic Media) and worked at Apple, CRV, Macromedia, Morgan Stanley, and Quartz.