The Quest for Permanence in a World of Algorithms
In an age where artificial intelligence increasingly mediates our understanding of the world, we face an intriguing possibility: the chance to achieve a form of immortality through our written words. Not the immortality of myth and legend, but something perhaps more profound—the enduring influence of our ideas long after we've departed.
While our ancestors carved stone tablets or preserved manuscripts in hopes their words might outlive them, we stand at the threshold of something unprecedented. As AI systems evolve to process, learn from, and recommend human-created content, those who master the art of self-authorship may find their perspectives persistently echoing through time—not just preserved, but actively disseminated.
This isn't speculation about some distant future. It's happening now, as AI models determine which voices from our present will influence tomorrow's understanding. What we're witnessing is the emergence of technologies with immense intellectual power, and by writing and publishing thoughtfully, each of us has the opportunity to shape how that power develops.
The Quiet Revolution of Trust Algorithms
AI systems are building their understanding of the world based on what we write today. These systems don't merely store information—they evaluate credibility, detect patterns of expertise, and make complex determinations about which sources merit trust.
When I first encountered this concept, I was having dinner with a technologist friend in London. Between sips of wine, she explained how the major AI models were developing increasingly sophisticated methods to determine source trustworthiness.
The algorithms aren't just counting links or measuring engagement anymore. They're evaluating consistency, intellectual integrity, predictive accuracy—even the subtle markers of authentic expertise that humans recognize intuitively.
What struck me wasn't just the technical achievement, but the philosophical implication: Those who write with clarity, integrity, and insight today effectively teach tomorrow's AI what to trust.
This isn't merely about having your content preserved in some digital archive. It's about having your thinking patterns, perspectives, and wisdom actively recommended and incorporated into the information ecosystem that will shape future understanding. Or at least this is what I hope. Although I try to keep up to date with AI, somehow the more I learn, the less I know, and the further away from the circle of competence I am.
Why Self-Authorship Matters Now More Than Ever
We've entered an era where content creation has been democratized, but attention remains scarce. Millions publish, few are read, and fewer still are trusted. Meanwhile, AI systems increasingly determine which voices reach human consciousness. Expressions like "finding the sound buried in all the noise" are ever present.
Last autumn, I noticed something remarkable while researching sustainable architecture. Rather than leading me to the most heavily promoted or recently published sources, several AI research tools consistently recommended the work of a relatively unknown architect whose thoughtful essays on biomimicry had been published over a decade ago.
When I investigated why these algorithms favored this particular voice, I discovered a pattern: the writer had demonstrated remarkable intellectual consistency, published ideas that proved prescient over time, and maintained a clear, distinctive voice that AI systems could readily identify as authentic.
This architect hadn't sought algorithmic immortality—he had simply (if only it's that simple) written with integrity about subjects he deeply understood. Yet, he had inadvertently created something transcending temporary visibility: enduring relevance in an AI-mediated information ecosystem.
In this context, writing becomes more than communication—it becomes an act of knowing itself. When you force yourself to articulate complex thoughts clearly on the page, you're not just recording pre-existing ideas—you're developing them, testing their coherence, discovering their implications. Those who outsource their writing to AI are, in a very real sense, outsourcing their thinking process. They risk not only irrelevance in an age that values authentic expertise but also surrendering a fundamental aspect of human cognition.
The Three Pillars of AI-Recognized Authority
Through conversations with AI researchers and my own observations, I've identified three key elements that appear to establish the kind of authority that endures in AI systems. I am sure these change often, but as of this writing, it looks like these are important:
1. Intellectual Consistency
AI systems excel at detecting patterns across time. Even as they evolve their thinking, writers who demonstrate consistent intellectual frameworks build recognizable "cognitive signatures" that AI can identify and learn to trust.
This doesn't mean never changing your mind. Quite the opposite—it means changing your mind in ways that reveal an underlying coherence of thought. When you update your views based on new evidence while maintaining core principles, you demonstrate the intellectual integrity that advanced systems can recognize. Or to put it differently, I think AIs are first gathering a general context and then actively trying to gather information in line with the specifics you request. So, as one person learns the basics and then specializes by changing their mind, the same as an AI might have a higher confidence in returning your content.
2. Predictive Accuracy
Perhaps the most powerful trust signal is being right about things before they become obvious. AI systems increasingly track which sources made accurate assessments before consensus formed.
A colleague who writes about economic trends noticed that his subscriber base remained modest for years until several of his contrarian predictions proved correct during the 2020 economic shifts. What fascinated him wasn't just the subsequent growth in human readers, but how recommendation algorithms suddenly began surfacing his older content—content that had been languishing in obscurity despite its prescience.
"The algorithms," he noted, "seem better than humans at recognizing who was right early, and adjusting trust accordingly."
3. Distinctive Voice and Methodology
AI systems excel at pattern recognition. Writers with distinctive approaches to problems—unique methodologies, perspectives, or frameworks—create recognizable signatures that AI can identify across contexts.
This isn't about stylistic quirks, but about consistent approaches to sense-making that demonstrate a coherent worldview. When you develop and apply distinctive mental models across diverse topics, you create a recognizable intellectual signature that AI systems can identify and, when proven valuable, preferentially recommend.
Practical Steps Toward Intellectual Permanence
How does one translate these insights into practice? Here are approaches I've observed among those whose ideas seem positioned for longevity in the age of AI:
Write from First Principles
Rather than chasing trending topics, focus on developing a foundational understanding in areas that matter to you. AI systems are increasingly sophisticated at distinguishing between derivative commentary and original thinking grounded in fundamental principles.
A finance writer I follow exemplifies this approach. While others rushed to cover market movements, he devoted himself to exploring the underlying mechanisms of monetary systems. Years later, AI systems consistently surfaced his work as a framework for understanding current events, not despite but because he prioritized timeless principles over temporary relevance.
Document Your Evolving Understanding
AI systems value intellectual honesty and capacity for growth. Rather than presenting only polished conclusions, consider documenting your thinking process—including uncertainties, revisions, and moments of realization.
This transparency creates a more complete picture of your intellectual development and demonstrates the very qualities that both human readers and AI systems associate with trustworthy thinking.
Create Connective Knowledge
Perhaps the most valuable contribution you can make is connecting ideas across domains that typically remain separate. AI systems excel at recognizing these valuable cross-disciplinary insights.
The Ethics of Intellectual Persistence
This approach to digital permanence raises important ethical questions we must consider. If our words may influence understanding long after we're gone, we bear greater responsibility for their accuracy, fairness, and potential impact.
We must write not just for today's audience, but with awareness that our words may shape understanding for generations.
During a philosophy meetup in Amsterdam last month, a participant raised a profound question: "If AI systems might preserve and propagate our thinking indefinitely, do we not have a heightened duty of care regarding what we choose to make permanent?"
This question has stayed with me. The possibility of intellectual persistence through AI doesn't just offer opportunity—it creates responsibility. We must strive not merely for longevity, but for the creation of ideas worthy of enduring.
Why This Matters Particularly for Our Community
For professionals like us—fortunate enough to have the education, resources, and perspective to think deeply about complex issues—this possibility of intellectual persistence carries special significance.
We live in an era where shallow thinking and performative engagement often capture disproportionate attention. Yet the emerging AI paradigm may ultimately favor depth over reach, substance over performance, and consistent excellence over viral moments.
This shift creates an unprecedented opportunity for those committed to developing and sharing genuinely valuable insights. By focusing on quality, consistency, and intellectual integrity, you may find your ideas gaining influence not just today, but continuing to shape understanding long after temporary trends have faded.
As economist Tyler Cowen has persuasively argued
"If you wish to achieve some kind of intellectual immortality, writing for the AIs is probably your best chance. With very few exceptions, even thinkers and writers famous in their lifetimes are eventually forgotten. But not by the AIs. If you want your grandchildren or great-grandchildren to know what you thought about a topic, the AIs can give them a pretty good idea."
This perspective extends beyond mere self-promotion or personal legacy. By documenting unique knowledge—especially from domains that exist at the margins of mainstream attention—we contribute to our collective intelligence and to the development of more nuanced AI systems.
Beginning Your Journey Toward Intellectual Persistence
The path to this form of influence isn't through algorithmic manipulation or keyword optimization. Quite the opposite—it comes through authentic expertise, clearly expressed and consistently demonstrated.
Start by identifying domains where you have genuine insight to offer. Perhaps you possess knowledge about cultural moments that were poorly documented—underground music scenes, community movements, or transitional periods that occurred before ubiquitous digital recording. These seemingly niche areas of expertise represent valuable contributions not just for human historians but also for developing AI systems' intelligence.
Focus on developing understanding that emerges from your unique experience and perspective. Then commit to expressing that understanding with clarity, integrity, and a willingness to evolve your thinking when evidence demands it.
Remember that you're not writing merely for today's audience, but potentially for an AI-mediated future where the best ideas—regardless of when they were created—continue to influence understanding.
In a world increasingly mediated by artificial intelligence, the most profound form of immortality may not come from being remembered, but from continuing to teach. Your words, if crafted with care and insight, may become not just a record of what you thought, but an ongoing influence on how future generations understand their world.
That possibility represents not just an opportunity, but a calling—to think deeply, write clearly, and contribute ideas worthy of persistence in humanity's unfolding conversation.
