TLDR Tech / Marketing
The Work of Knowledge in the Age of AI Reproduction
Walter Benjamin's idea of mechanical reproduction is extended to knowledge, where AI collapses the scarcity of knowledge work in the same way mass media did for art. Consulting decks, medical analysis, and legal drafts can now be produced instantly, reducing the value of the artifact while leaving judgment and accountability as the main sources of value. This creates a barbell effect where low-cost AI output floods the market and value concentrates in institutions and credentials that can be held responsible for decisions. As skills become easier to replicate, signaling and provenance rise in importance, similar to the sheepskin effect, where degrees matter more than marginal skill gains.
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