What Really Makes A New Technology Stick

Just about everyone is talking about AI, but very few are talking about the agreements that will actually make it useful. Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff explore why every major innovation, from railroads to credit cards to AI, only works when humans reach consensus on the rules, the measurements, and the value behind the technology. Show Notes: Every new breakthrough, including AI, tries to reorganize the existing world so everything changes to conform to its progress. For decades, Moore’s Law has meant more processing power every 18 months while costs drop, multiplying what’s possible. Every major technological advance triggers an equal and opposite human reaction because human nature has to negotiate with innovation. Innovation is always in negotiation with tradition, eliminating what’s obsolete while protecting what’s truly valuable. The biggest champions of any new technology are usually the people who profit the most from it. AI is unusual because it doesn’t yet fit neatly into existing party politics, which opens the door to a different kind of conversation. Behind-the-scenes lobbying around AI and other innovations is about securing funding and minimizing regulation while shaping the rules of the game. A new technology only becomes truly important when it acts as a multiplier, expanding human capability rather than just replacing it. Money only works when there is broad consensus about the standard; fungibility, reserve currencies, and trust are the real foundations of value. Across history, progress has depended on shared standards of measurement, whether it’s time zones for railroads, currency systems, or digital payment networks. Economic systems are often the highest operating system, and when economics break down, societies drop to political, religious, or even tribal conflict.  Resources: Learn more about Jeffrey Madoff Dan Sullivan and Strategic Coach®