I just spent 2 hours with a guy who sold multiple AI companies for $400M and built AI systems for the Pentagon. He broke down AI's current influence and future dangers in ways I'd never heard before. Here are the 8 most important things he told me:

AI Already Controls More of Your Life Than You Realize Here's a stat that blew my mind: AI mediates 20% of your waking hours. That's 1 out of every 5 hours you're awake. The posts you see. The products suggested. The news that reaches you. Most people have no idea how much AI is already shaping their thoughts and decisions.

We've Become a Nation of Order-Takers In the 1800s, 80% of Americans owned something - a farm, a business, their means of production. But today? Less than 10% own a business. We went from owners to employees. From decision-makers to order-takers. This shift makes us perfect candidates for AI dependency.

Agency vs. Autonomy Most people think these words mean the same thing. They don't. Agency = Can you achieve the goals assigned to you? Autonomy = Can you choose your own goals in the first place? AI makes you incredibly effective at agency, but it could quietly erode your autonomy.