AI and Biotech: The Smartass Revolution

Casey Ledger's avatar Casey Ledger

The Smartass Revolution: How AI and Biotech Are Screwing with Our Money and Our Lives

Look, I ain’t no Wall Street hotshot or some fancy-pants biotech genius. But you don’t need to be wicked smart to see that this AI and biotech shit is turning everything on its head. So grab a beer, and let’s break this down.

The AI Money Machine: Upstart’s Upstart

Alright, so we’ve got this company Upstart, right? They’re using AI to decide who gets loans. Sounds great, doesn’t it? A computer making decisions without all that human bias bullshit. But here’s the kicker - despite diluting their stock, which usually sends investors running for the hills, these guys are still riding high. Why? Because people are buying into this AI dream like it’s the second coming.

But here’s the thing - who’s programming these AI systems? It’s not some working-class kid from Southie, I’ll tell you that much. It’s the same Ivy League types who’ve been calling the shots all along. So, are we really getting rid of bias, or are we just automating it?

Microsoft’s Big Brain Play

Then we’ve got Microsoft, throwing money at AI like it’s going out of style. They’re so confident, they’re even giving some back to the shareholders. It’s like they’re saying, “Don’t worry, we’ve got this AI thing in the bag.”

But let’s think about this for a second. What happens when one company gets too far ahead in the AI race? We’re not just talking about dominating the tech market anymore. We’re talking about a company that could potentially control how we access and interpret information. That’s some Orwellian shit right there.

Biotech’s Cancer Moonshot: Summit and Instil

Now, let’s switch gears to biotech. Summit Therapeutics and Instil Bio are making waves with their lung cancer treatments. On the surface, this is fantastic news. Who doesn’t want to cure cancer?

But here’s where it gets tricky. These personalized treatments? They’re going to cost a fortune. So, what happens to the guy who can’t afford health insurance, let alone some cutting-edge biotech treatment? Are we creating a world where only the rich get to live?

The Big Picture: A Brave New World Order

So, what does all this mean for the bigger picture? Let me break it down for you:

  1. The Rise of the Technocrats: As AI and biotech become more central to our economy and our lives, the people who understand this stuff are going to have more power than ever. We’re talking about a new ruling class of tech geeks and bioengineers.

  2. The Great Divide: This tech revolution isn’t going to lift all boats. It’s going to create a massive gap between those who can afford or understand these new technologies and those who can’t. We’re talking about a world where the rich live longer, healthier lives and have access to AI-driven financial tools that make them even richer.

  3. The Ethics Shitstorm: We’re entering uncharted territory here. Who decides how these AI systems make decisions? Who gets access to these life-saving biotech treatments? We’re going to need a whole new framework for ethics, and I’m not sure we’re ready for it.

  4. The End of Privacy: With AI systems crunching more and more of our data, privacy might become a thing of the past. And let’s not even get started on the implications of biotech advancements for genetic privacy.

  5. The Job Apocalypse: AI isn’t just going to replace factory workers. We’re talking about AI systems that can write, analyze, and even create. A lot of white-collar jobs are going to disappear, and we better start thinking about what that means for society.

So What, Who Cares?

Look, I get it. It’s easy to look at all this and think, “So what? That’s progress, baby.” But here’s the thing - we need to start asking some hard questions. Who benefits from these advancements? Who gets left behind? And most importantly, what kind of world are we creating?

We can’t just sit back and let the tech bros and biotech bigwigs shape our future. We need to be part of the conversation. We need to demand transparency, equity, and ethical considerations in how these technologies are developed and deployed.

Because if we don’t, we might wake up one day in a world where a select few live like gods, while the rest of us are left wondering what the hell happened.

So yeah, maybe I’m just some smartass from Southie. But I’m telling you, we need to wake up and start giving a damn about this stuff. Because the future’s coming, whether we like it or not. And I, for one, would like to have a say in what it looks like.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go solve some obscure math problem and pretend I don’t care about changing the world.