Current Work

Recent White Papers

Cognitive Scaffolds for a Human Future
Interim Research Report on Agent-Based Analysis of AI’s Risks to Democratic Governance
June 2025

An Algorithm for Thought (v1.0) to Help Solve Problems of the Anthropocene
November 2022

“Special Focus Teams” to Help Solve the Problems of the Anthropocene
December 2021

The Crisis of Complexity and Hopes for the World of 2050

My current work takes a distinctive stance as I try to help society address the challenges of the Anthropocene. I see a dangerous “crisis of complexity” that arises from a mismatch between human cognitive capacity and the complexity of modern problems. This mismatch makes it increasingly difficult for policymakers to effectively address climate change, environmental degradation, risks posed by the rapid rise of AI, and other hyper-complex challenges of the modern world.

I’ve developed a suite of “cognitive scaffolds” designed to support human thought in this complex environment, including:

A structured algorithm for thought amidst complexity
Methods for special focus teams to use when problem-solving
Strategies for multi-cycle thought to help when tackling such complex challenges
Agent-based models for analyzing AI’s impact on democratic governance

These tools are designed to support scenario analysis and policy development, and they are structured to facilitate interactions between human teams and AI-based agents that have been trained to assist in this work.

My book manuscript “Human Thought, AI, and the Human Future” is currently being revised to:

Focus on this new suite of tools
Analyze how the rise of AI exacerbates the complexity crisis and yet also
Demonstrate ways in which AI can help us work more effectively amidst the mind-boggling complexity of the modern world.

Credits

As I have focused on these concerns about human thought, AI, and the human future, I’ve been fortunate enough to have the advice and support of many friends and colleagues. I’ll have a more complete list of acknowledgments in the book, but – as I press to finish this manuscript – I want to highlight the amazing figures and illustrations created by Megan Acio and the fabulous editorial help from Elizabeth Savage.

I also am immensely grateful for help from:

John Gulliver

Eric Pabo

Ken Patterson

Patrick Scannell

Gurpreet Singh

Matt Thomson

Jeff Ubois

THANKS! — I could not possibly do this without all your amazing help and advice!