The internet isn't dead
If you look at the definition of the dead internet theory you'll find an idea that the public-facing internet has largely been abandoned by genuine human users. This idea has always fascinated me because we live in an age where there are more humans alive than at any point in human history. Each year we grow by around 70 million people.
The theory itself is just a cultural meme, but what I do think is true is the complete and devastating loss of agency. Never in the history of man has it been easier to do nothing and rely on computers to do something for you, and that's not an exaggeration. You can objectively tell AI to do almost anything for you (anything with the right model) and get an output with the only requirement being a prompt. Paired with short-form, low-attention-span popular media, being "human" can almost be put on a resume.
I worry about the younger generations and the true impact that they will have. Aging myself, but I grew up in a time that many look back on fondly as a bygone era. The internet hardly existed, human connection was foundational, media was informational, and profit was tied to honest consumerism rather than bland, generic outsourcing. Every person used to have agency, or at least the vast majority of the population. People were present, they had soul, a unique human spirit. It was the golden era for family gatherings, holidays, consumer goods, and business progression.
Now we have copy and paste of everything: goods, marketing, profit. It has all become a blob of neutral-colored tones. And the more the internet fills up with all this generated, neutral "stuff," the more valuable the idea of actual creation becomes. I take a lot of inspiration from accounts like Life on Film and Allan Peters, and I know that many do as well. Even most recently with the Tesla Roadster unveil, a car driving upside down on a ramp and flying off to land upright, it is the pure essence of what we miss the most. People crave the human experience, the creativity, the uniqueness that we can provide that AI never could.
Now, don't take me for someone who is against AI. I genuinely think AI has provided, and will continue to provide, some of the most incredible technological and industrial advancements humanity has ever seen. It is important, though, to reframe what it is useful for: producing a flat output. Critical thinking, theory crafting, taste, uniqueness, creativity: this is and will only ever be done by a human.
My time with Arcium embodied this mentality of genuine human connection. Working closely with people every single day and finding those who still believe that being human has value. You stand out against a sea of AI and generic meat proxies if you just take a second to think and lean on what makes you special. This will only continue to grow in value, especially in marketing, growth, and community positions across multiple industries.
I'm extremely eager to take what I learned and experienced throughout my career and carry it into another project that understands this value for their customers as well. There are many ways to stand out, most of them very similar, but the ones that will truly succeed will lean into this mentality. The internet isn't dead; there is proof humanity is only continuing to expand. It just needs more people willing to put in the work, lean into the human element, and create something they're proud of.
Andy
