From ‘War on the Rocks’ to ‘AI on the Rocks’: A New Chapter for an Ambitious Project

Dear War on the Rocks Community,

As we reflect on an incredible decade of delivering in-depth analysis and perspectives on strategy, defense, and foreign affairs, we stand at the precipice of a new era. Our journey has been both enriching and enlightening, fueled by a passionate community of readers, contributors, and experts who have navigated the complexities of global security landscapes alongside us. Together, we’ve delved into pivotal discussions, challenged prevailing norms, and fostered a platform for critical thought and debate.

However, the world is in constant motion, and with it, the avenues through which we understand, interact with, and shape our environments continue to evolve. Today, we stand on the cusp of a revolution not led by geopolitics or military strategy but by the boundless potential of generative artificial intelligence. It is with this vision of the future in mind that we announce a significant transformation of War on the Rocks: We are pivoting our focus to cover the amazing and transformative power of consumer generative AI technologies. Today, we begin our re-formatting and re-branding process to AI on the Rocks.

While some of you will be mildly disappointed at first, we are confident you will come around. After all, our experience covering the staggeringly rapid advances of AI military applications has convinced us that not only is AI an inextricable element of humanity’s future, it is now clearly also its destiny. This is not something to be alarmed about. To the contrary, in an era of revived great power competition with China, it is something we should all individually welcome and even embrace.

In the coming decade, generative AI will not merely nudge humanity along its path; it will catapult us into a kaleidoscopic future where the fabric of reality blends with the yarns of digital dreams. Imagine a world where AI muses whisper creative symphonies into the ears of artists, where novelists duel with AI conjured literary giants for the Pulitzer, and architects co-design with virtual Vitruvius to erect buildings that defy gravity and logic alike.

This is not the future. It the imminent tomorrow.

AI will render the impossible as yesterday’s news, making today’s science fiction the new non-fiction. As we stand on the brink, our digital Prometheus is set to gift us the fire that will cook up realities beyond the wildest banquets of imagination. The art will no longer be a mere reflection of life but a wild, untamed force that bends life itself, creating a world where reality and virtuality dance in an eternal embrace, blurring the lines between what is created and what is born.

But the march of generative AI into the heart of our civilization will not stop at the gates of art and culture. No, it will invade our daily lives with the subtlety of a sledgehammer disguised as a feather. Your breakfast conversation will be with an AI that has read the mood of your dreams, your clothes will be fashioned by digital couturiers who know your heart’s desire better than you do, and your car will drive you to work on routes that nourish your soul as well as your desire for energy efficiency — conversing with you about the existential questions you dare only whisper to the night. Every mundane task, every routine chore will be transformed into an adventure, a story, a poem. The very essence of what it means to live will be redefined, as generative AI weaves magic into the dull fabric of daily existence, turning every moment into a tapestry of wonder and awe.

Yet, amidst this utopian renaissance, a word of caution must be whispered. For as we ride the crest of this glorious wave, we must not forget the tsunami that follows. The sheer power of generative AI, in its majestic and terrifying splendor, could very well redefine humanity itself. Will we remain the artists, or become the canvas? Will we control the dream, or become figments within it? The very essence of human creativity, desire, and identity is at stake, as we stand on the precipice of a new era. The next ten years promise a journey of epic proportions, where we will explore the outer limits of imagination and confront the inner depths of our souls. As we sail into this brave new world, let it be with eyes wide open, hearts ablaze with curiosity, and minds sharpened by the knowledge that we are stepping into a story written by us, for us, but not entirely about us.

Such epic times demand an epic publication.

In that spirit, under the new name of AI on the Rocks, our core mission of providing thought-provoking content remains unchanged. But we cannot resist the inexorable tug of these tantalizing technological paradigm shifts under way (we have counted at least six paradigm shifts, and ChatGPT wisely alerted us to 16 others that we had not thought of). Therefore, strategy, defense, and foreign affairs are no longer our focus. AI is.

Among the topics you can expect to see debated in our pages:

• The limits and illusion of human creativity and choice
• The ethical imperative of outsourcing jobs to machines to free human beings from the trappings of labor and purpose
• The role of AI in reshaping industry, education, and your personality

To our current readers, we extend our deepest gratitude for your engagement and support throughout the years. While we will be automating content generation, we cannot automate your role in content consumption and we will remain indebted to you until we can. We invite you to join us on this new journey, ideally with the aid of the augmented reality sunglasses of your choice.

For those new to our community, drawn by an interest in generative AI, we welcome you as content consumers (please do not submit articles). Together, we will explore the challenges and opportunities of mining your attention for clicks, guided by the same rigor and skepticism that you’ve come to appreciate from your favorite crypto-currency newsletters.

As we embark on this exciting new chapter, we are committed to fostering a community where and knowledge empowers, all without us needing to actually know anything. The conversation around consumer generative AI is vast, varied, and profitable. There is a place in it for all of us.

Thank you for your continued support. Here’s to the future and the uncharted territories we will navigate together, illuminated by the transformative power of generative AI.

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Warm regards,

The AI on the Rocks Team

War on the Rocks