About the work
Building a working model of the future before we need it.
Three strands of one practice: research into when AI can be checked, open civic tools anyone can run, and film of established community models for a documentary about our shared future.
The work
Research
When can one AI check another? So far, only on problems the checker can nearly solve itself. Experiments run on one workstation, and every correction stays on the record beside the claim it changed.
Civic tools
Values Commons ranks everyday things by a reader’s own values, on facts that carry their sources, with no ads and no tracking. It is one of nine noncommercial properties with the Futurism Institute at their centre.
Film and land
A documentary series on established community models, filmed where people already live off-grid and in common. The first draft cut, from Living Energy Farm in Virginia, is below.
Free, and open to collaborators
Every project is free and noncommercial. The mission needs collaborators: people to check the numbers, run the experiments one workstation cannot, and bring the tools and the film to their own communities.
The film
Other footage
A more action oriented shot
Drone footage over the Potomac in winter, with the river partly frozen.
Behind the work
I live in an intentional community in Seattle, work on AI safety research and steward community institutions like events and artist residencies here. We film, develop the land, host festivals and research human interface design with AI.
Before this I spent a decade in regenerative agriculture, education design, off-grid building and community facilitation. I’ve lived in other communities like Twin Oaks and managed AI systems over the last 3 years. I used to teach here and abroad, and now facilitate workshops and design educational materials. I’m converging my film work and systems designs into accessible digital literacy material. The Futurism Institute digital ecosystem is still an idea compared to the fuller vision, but each site and its description can be found from Futurisminstitute.org.
Where to go from here
- The researchwhat was measured, and what was withdrawn
- In plain Englishthe same work without the jargon
- Collaboratewhere the work needs other people
- Futurism Institutethe whole family of projects