The reading room
AI ideas from original sources
An idea page explains a concept, theory or proposal: where it comes from, what supports it, the objections and the open questions. We update it when new material changes the explanation. How our formats work
The idea library
17 ideasThe case for pricing AI by outcomes delivered rather than per token
AI should be sold by results delivered, not tokens, Moonshots panelists argued, citing Salesforce and OpenAI moves as they described them.
Updated Sep 2, 2026 IdeaThe intentional stance: an argument for reading AI agents' goals
Daniel Dennett's intentional stance treats goal-talk as justified when it predicts behavior.
Updated Sep 1, 2026 IdeaA proposal to pay publishers for agent reads by Shapley value
Publishers could be paid each source's estimated Shapley value for AI agent use: roughly the cost of matching answer quality without it.
Updated Aug 25, 2026 IdeaThe Big World Hypothesis argues AI agents must keep learning
The Big World Hypothesis holds that because the world outstrips any agent's limited resources, AI must keep learning.
Updated Aug 18, 2026 IdeaAwareness of death may keep status contests alive after AI abundance
Awareness of death may partly explain why people would keep competing for status even if AI made necessities plentiful, physicist Brian Greene argued, drawing on Ernest Becker.
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