The Self-Correcting Future

I wrote this book after a realization that the real conflict of the Intelligence Age isn't "man versus machine," but the growing gap between exponential AI growth and linear societal adaptation.

I take you on my journey from cofounding a small AI agency to envisioning the world's AI TownSquare. In these pages, I share a vision shaped not by dominant ideological movements often associated with advanced technology, but by my upbringing in Uganda and my unconventional education.

I argue that it's this growing chasm that poses an existential threat—undermining trust, exacerbating inequality, and destabilizing the very foundations of our civilization—rather than AI technology alone.

In a world torn between reckless acceleration and fearful stagnation, I propose a middle path of prepared acceleration, balancing innovation with responsibility. I paint the picture of a delicate balancing act: while unchecked progress can be destabilizing, stagnation is not an option. Our civilization must advance to fulfill its inherent, long-standing quest for progress.

Far more than a theoretical treatise, this book offers a practical, citizen-driven framework—the AI TownSquare—to align AI progress with societal readiness. It's not a policy checklist or a technological quick fix; it's a self-correcting mechanism designed to multiply our collective wisdom at the same pace that AI multiplies computational power.

I carefully build the case that only through inclusive, citizen-driven mechanisms—where everyone has a stake in shaping AI's direction—can we ensure that technology amplifies our highest aspirations rather than undermining them.

In the opening chapters, I immerse you in the broader arc of civilization's progress, illustrated by Kardashev's scale and the sobering reality that we remain a Type 0 civilization.

I then quantify the AI-society gap, measuring its impact across industries and governance, before introducing the AI TownSquare framework—drawing on ancient agoras, digital democracy, and cybernetic systems—to show how theory becomes practice in healthcare, finance, education, and governance.

I introduce "Societal Readiness" as a discipline to bridge gaps between siloed domains (technology, policy, economics, psychology), culminating in a "manifesto" chapter that defines this approach.

Using Doha as a launchpad for its geopolitical neutrality and connectivity, I outline a global strategy for creating localized hubs that coalesce into a planetary network.

Finally, I project into the future, asking whether we can proactively steer civilization toward a Type 1 future or remain trapped in fragmented chaos, vulnerable to existential threats.

This book provides:

• A clear articulation of the AI readiness gap and its consequences
• An ethical framework for responsible AI development and deployment
• A practical blueprint for building the AI TownSquare, with real-world examples and case studies
• A roadmap for transforming industries, governance structures, and educational systems to meet the challenges of the Intelligence Age

The Self-Correcting Future is a call to action for policymakers, technologists, business leaders, and concerned citizens to embrace a more proactive, participatory approach to AI governance.

It presents a new civic framework for building a future where technology amplifies our wisdom and elevates our shared humanity.

Ultimately, my goal is to reclaim progress as a shared human endeavor, not a technocratic project that leaves entire populations behind.