Author: Saito

I just finished watching Vitalik's recent podcast at a16z, and the amount of information is overwhelming.

He founded Ethereum at 19, and now in his early 30s, he has transitioned from “autopilot” to “active pilot.”

The core topic of this episode is the most anxious question we face today: AI is getting stronger; what should humans do?

Vitalik's answer is not “fight against AI,” but rather create sanctuary technologies. These technologies protect us without compromising our privacy and agency.

Today I will break down the most counterintuitive insights and practical suggestions from this episode, along with Ethereum's new positioning.

The greatest risk in the age of AI is not that AI is too smart, but that humans are too passive

Vitalik bluntly states that the world today is less safe and less peaceful than it was 10 to 15 years ago.

Many people are pursuing a kind of “safety”: handing everything over to the “uncle in the sky,” which means big companies, super AI, and centralized systems to make decisions for us, manage risks, and provide protection.

But the cost of this safety is the loss of our privacy and agency.

Vitalik calls this kind of safety disempowering safety—safety that increasingly renders people helpless.

This also reflects his redefinition of the mission of crypto/Ethereum. The significance of Ethereum is not to “fix the dollar,” nor to improve the existing financial system, but to create a new option. You can freely choose whether to use it or not.

This is the true sanctuary: both safe and allowing you to retain sovereignty.

Sanctuary Technologies: A Small Space for Humans to Retain Freedom

Sanctuary Technologies is a term coined by Vitalik, and translating it as “sanctuary technology” is very fitting.

It is not about turning the whole world into a safe house, nor is it about using a larger system to dominate everyone. What it truly aims to do is: provide you with a safe small space where you can think, coordinate, and create freely, without total external control.

It has several core characteristics: it is not totalizing, it does not aim to dominate the world; it retains privacy and agency; everyone can freely come and go, without compulsion.

Ethereum is a typical sanctuary tech. It does not aim to fix the existing financial system but gives you a parallel option. You can use it if you want, or not use it if you don’t want to.

This point will become increasingly important in the age of AI. Because as big companies and super AI become stronger, what humans truly need is not another “system that arranges everything for you,” but a space that allows you to retain your choice.

From Autopilot to Active Pilot: Vitalik's Personal Growth

Vitalik reflects that when he founded Ethereum at 19, he was largely in an autopilot state.

Many decisions were taken as they came: dropping out of school, writing the white paper, being denied a visa by Ripple, which turned into pivotal moments in his life. At that time, he was more like someone pushed forward by the world.

But now he increasingly realizes: the world is changing too fast, and no one will come to save you; you must be the pilot yourself.

He provided several everyday examples. Ten years ago, people might not contact friends for days without it being a big deal; now, not replying to messages for a day causes anxiety. Ten years ago, it's possible to genuinely “get lost” while walking; now with mobile navigation, cities have turned into teleports.

These changes remind us: the world dies and is reborn every 5 to 10 years. If you keep relying on the old scripts, you will soon fall behind.

So what truly matters in the age of AI is not passively waiting for technology to take you where to go but actively deciding how you want to use that technology.

The Stronger AI Becomes, the More Humans Need to Stay in “Manual Mode”

Vitalik emphasizes that active learning is ten times more effective than passive learning, even if the same amount of time is spent.

Since childhood, he has forced himself to do many things manually, such as not using a calculator in chemistry class and not using navigation while walking. The purpose is not to oppose technology, but to keep the brain engaged.

The stronger AI becomes, the more we need to deliberately retain some “manual mode.”

Sometimes deliberately not using AI to write code, sometimes deliberately not using navigation to walk, sometimes deliberately not allowing chatbots to think through problems for us.

This is not nostalgia, nor is it a rejection of efficiency; it is to prevent the atrophy of the brain and retain one’s agency.

AI can help us do many tasks, but if all thinking, judgment, and exploration are outsourced, people will slowly become passengers in the system. Vitalik's reminder is: you can use AI, but do not allow yourself to be entirely dependent on AI.

Practical Advice for Builders

Vitalik's insights for ordinary builders in this episode are very direct.

First, force yourself to do things manually. Even if AI can help you, occasionally do it yourself to ensure your brain doesn’t rust.

Second, active learning. Don’t just let AI give you the answers; derive, verify, and engage yourself.

Third, build sanctuary technologies. Whether it’s open-source tools, decentralized protocols, or personal knowledge management systems, always consider one thing first: does it help people retain sovereignty?

Fourth, don’t outsource all your mental work. AI can assist you in execution, but strategy, direction, and values must be controlled by yourself.

Fifth, maintain serendipity. Participate in offline activities, converse with real people, and don’t hand over all discoveries to algorithmic recommendations.

These points actually point to a core insight: in the age of AI, it’s not about using tools less but about using them more proactively.

Ethereum's New Positioning: Not Fixing the Old World, but Creating New Options

Vitalik is very clear about the positioning of crypto.

Crypto cannot solve all problems of the dollar, nor does it need to pretend it can solve everything. But it can create something new without those shortcomings.

Everyone can freely choose whether to use it or not.

This is the greatest strength of crypto: it does not force you; it gives you the right to choose.

In an era where AI increasingly centralizes power, this point will become increasingly precious. Because as more and more systems attempt to make decisions for you, filter information for you, and evaluate risks for you, a non-compulsory, freely accessible parallel option becomes critically important.

The value of Ethereum/crypto is not about “winning the old world,” but about giving you a new world with the freedom to choose.

The Most Counterintuitive Statements from This Episode

The greatest risk in the age of AI is not that AI will replace humans, but that humans willingly turn themselves into passengers.

Sanctuary is not about making the whole world safe, but giving you a small safe space where you can still retain freedom.

Active learning is ten times more effective than passive learning, even with the same amount of time.

The world dies and is reborn every 5 to 10 years; we must be the pilots ourselves.

Insights for Average People

The stronger AI becomes, the more proactive humans need to be.

Do not outsource all thinking to models. Do more manual tasks to keep your brain engaged. Participate in building tools that can preserve human sovereignty, whether they are open-source, decentralized, or personal knowledge management systems.

Remember: technology ultimately serves humanity, not replaces it.

Vitalik concluded by saying that we humans are the brightest stars. AI can be powerful, but it is still proactive, agency-driven humans who truly propel the world forward.

A One-Sentence Summary

Vitalik uses 10 years of personal experience to tell us: the age of AI is not a time to lie flat, but a time that requires humans to take the helm actively.

Do not outsource your brain to models. Do more manual tasks, build sanctuary technologies, and retain your privacy and agency.

My biggest feeling after listening to this episode is: previously we feared AI taking jobs, but now we see AI actually upgrading people from “performers” to “designers.”

What is truly scarce is never computing power, but the willingness of people to think proactively and retain sovereignty.

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