This article is part of the Ripples of Intelligence series—a paired exploration of AI’s visible splash and its deeper ripples across governance and human adaptation.
Standing among the ruins of Luxor—four thousand years of ambition carved in stone—I felt the full weight of time. These monuments mark what endures when empires rise and fall. Yet as I looked at them, one question echoed: what will our civilization leave behind?
Artificial intelligence may not leave monuments, but its impact will be no less enduring. When AI burst into public consciousness—one hundred million users in just thirty days—it was a moment unlike any other. The splash was deafening. It captured our full attention, dazzling us with possibility and fear alike. But while we were staring at the splash, few noticed the ripples spreading outward—quietly reshaping institutions, economies, and expectations.
The Spectacle of the Splash
Boards everywhere scrambled to respond. Consultants were hired, policies drafted, stateme…
