The Collapse of Complex Societies
5th April 2026
Those who criticize so-called “AI doomers” often overlook that there is a broader, intellectually serious tradition of technological doomerism that goes back decades. To revisit these works is to wonder whether AI really presents new risks, or if it is simply the manifestation of a risk previously foretold.
Of course, predictions of global apocalypse are as ancient as humanity. Given the historical track record—no global apocalypse yet!—those predicting apocalypse have traditionally had a rough time being taken seriously. Still, there is a big difference between predicting the arrival of apocalypse ex nihilo vs. a reasoned argument that it necessarily emerges from specific human decisions and habits.