The last human choice: surrendering agency to AI

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Sep 1, 2025

Brendan McCord, founder and Chair of the Cosmos Institute, stands at the crossroads of AI and philosophy, advocating for a new breed of technologist: the Philosopher-Builder. He explores the dangers of relying too heavily on AI for decision-making, warning against the potential loss of human agency. McCord calls for a revival of ethical considerations in tech, critiquing Silicon Valley's moral decline. By blending philosophical thought with innovation, he envisions a future where technology enhances human flourishing and autonomy.

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INSIGHT

AI Threatens Human Agency

AI automation tempts us to outsource judgment and decision-making entirely.
Overreliance on AI risks hollowing out human agency and self-direction.

ADVICE

Use Philosophy in Tech Building

Apply philosophical scrutiny to technology development to contemplate what and why we build.
Resist reducing morality to computable elements or dismissing philosophical relevance in tech.

INSIGHT

Three Technologist Archetypes

Technologists fall into three categories: puzzle absorbed, reductionists, and dismissers of philosophy.
None fully engage with the ethical implications of their AI creations.

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The world creates moments when philosophy truly matters. This is one of those moments. As AI continues to make our lives more convenient, the temptation to use it to outsource judgment will also grow, threatening to erode human decision-making altogether. Brendan McCord, founder of Cosmos Institute, has spent his career advancing AI in the private and national security sectors. Led by a foundation in both technology and philosophy, he is proposing a new kind of technologist – a Philosopher-Builder – that could guide planetary-scale decision-making technology. According to McCord, approaching AI development with philosophical scrutiny is what will preserve our ability to live self-directed lives and flourish as humans.

Chapters: 01:10 – What happens when AI becomes life's autocomplete 02:20 – Why philosophy is essential to building technology 03:30 – Silicon Valley's lost moral ambition 04:30 – Three types of builders holding us back 05:45 – A new kind of builder: the philosopher-builder 07:00 – Benjamin Franklin as the archetype 08:30 – The future of AI and the case for human flourishing ---------------------------------------------------------------------- About Brendan McCord: Brendan McCord is the founder and Chair of the Cosmos Institute and a key thinker at the intersection of AI and philosophy. In the private sector, Brendan was the founding CEO of two AI startups that were acquired for $400 million. In the public sector, Brendan was the principal founder of the first applied AI organization for the US Department of Defense and author of its first AI strategy. Brendan is a graduate of MIT and Harvard Business School and was a Visiting Fellow at St Catherine’s College at the University of Oxford. After MIT, he spent 610 days underwater on a submarine. He lives in Austin, TX with his wife and two children.

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