For much of human history, our intellectual development, ambitions and opportunities were heavily influenced by geography, social networks and the people surrounding us.
We sought better environments because we believed that better surroundings would create better possibilities.
Artificial intelligence introduces a fundamental alternative.
We can now consciously design an intellectual and operational environment around ourselves. We can create networks of specialised intelligence, engage with perspectives beyond our immediate experience, challenge our assumptions, acquire new capabilities and increasingly execute ideas without relying on the physical presence of traditional institutions or teams.
Our physical surroundings may remain unchanged, while the environment shaping our thoughts, ambitions and actions can be transformed.
The individual is no longer merely a product of their environment. The individual can increasingly become its architect.