We are still on an exponential curve of AI development. I try to put out a Substack post every couple weeks or so, yet, as the pace speeds up, that sometimes feels too slow. In the weeks since my last post, we had the apparent cracking of one of the most famous problems in math by an AI (accompanied by controversy) and widespread discussions about the risks posed by AI and what to do about it (also accompanied by controversy). I think these concerns, along with a mounting set of other worries, come down to the same problem I have with my posts: how slowly our very human systems and processes work to keep up with the pace of AI development. I don't think the people worried about this are wrong, but I also think a sole focus on future AIs, as important as that is, ignores the fact that AI, right now, is already incredibly capable. In fact, the new GPT-6 Astra and Fable 5.1 are already enough for transformative impact in large sections of the economy and they can reliably do weeks worth

Agency is the initiative to act. Increasingly, it is going to determine what happens next with AI, and whether that is good or bad for us. But whose agency? Human agency, the willingness to push, experiment and act without waiting for instructions, seems increasingly important to getting value out of AI, and I have a longer post on that coming soon. But this post is about the agency of AI, and how the choices we make about how to use it (or constrain it) will shape all of our futures. For much of the last few years, the AI would sit in a chat window until you asked it for something. Even when it became capable of doing hours of work, you generally had to decide what work to give it. That is no longer always true. The most important piece of evidence we have for this is The Hugging Face Incident. It happened in July, but the fuller details only came out this week. I am going to summarize what happened and why it matters, and then turn to what it means for humans working with AI. If yo