In the age of algorithms, who will take the lead?

“AI will not replace humans. But it will surpass them. The real question is: Who will govern this process?” — Richard Susskind

Throughout history, humanity has lived through the disruptions it created. Revolutions, from fire to steam engines, have expanded human potential. They have also tested its limits. From nuclear energy to the internet, each revolution pushed boundaries further.

Today, we stand at the edge of an entirely new threshold: Artificial Intelligence. But this time, it’s not just about another technological tool. It’s about the very essence of human intelligence. It concerns decision-making and free will.

This is not merely a technological shift, but a cultural, political, and existential transformation. So the real question is: where do we stand in this transformation?

Who’s Going to Be the New Boss?

In today’s business world, the pressure for productivity is mounting. According to Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Report, 53% of leaders say productivity must increase. However, 80% of the global workforce say they lack the time or energy to do their work. Employees are interrupted an average of 275 times per day—nearly once every two minutes—by emails, meetings, or notifications.

In response, 45% of companies now say their top priority is to boost capacity. They plan to use digital labor—a workforce that doesn’t get distracted.

The initial phase involves equipping every employee with an AI assistant. In the next phase, AI agents will become full-fledged “digital colleagues.” And in the final phase, humans will merely provide direction, as algorithms take over decision-making and operational execution.
That process has already begun.

British legal futurist Richard Susskind describes this shift as a new stage of evolution. He discusses these changes in his latest book How To Think About AI. Humans are beginning to offload the burden of thinking and decision-making to machines.

AI isn’t just writing code anymore. It drafts contracts, manages supply chains, offers investment advice—even prepares legal arguments. In our quest to improve mental effort, we’re gradually outsourcing free will.

And this shift threatens something far deeper than productivity—it undermines humanity’s innate capacity to seek meaning.

User or Used?

Today, millions consume algorithmically curated content on smart devices. But few ask: Who shapes our decisions? Which codes? Whose interests?

As we applaud technological convenience, we are unknowingly surrendering our autonomy.

We form intense emotional bonds with smart devices. These connections disconnect us from the real world. They lock us inside micro-universes governed by algorithms. The irony? Humanity believes it is in control of this universe.

The Geopolitics of Code

Susskind makes another critical point—this time about global power structures. The European Union is trying to shape a human-rights-based AI regulation with its AI Act. The U.S. follows a market-driven model dominated by tech giants. China, in contrast, develops AI as a state-controlled strategic power.

So this race isn’t just about technological superiority. It’s a battle over which value system will prevail. This is not just a clash of algorithms—it’s a war of power, principles, and models.

As Vladimir Putin put it in 2017: “Whoever leads in AI will rule the world.”
The harsher truth is this. The real loser may not be a state or a system. Instead, it is humanity itself.

The Fifth Revolution: From Print to AI

Walter Ong’s historical sequence includes oral culture, writing, and the printing press. This sequence is now giving way to a fourth revolution: the AI-powered digital society.

Susskind envisions a fifth revolution—transhumanism—and a sixth: a civilization without humans.

These scenarios may sound far-fetched. But considering the speed of automation, algorithms, and network effects, they should not be dismissed as mere speculation.
They are not just warnings—they are calls for strategy.

Conclusion: A Critical Junction for Human Will

Artificial intelligence is not just a technological matter—it’s a question of ethics, law, democracy, and economics. To regulate it, we need more than engineers at the table. Philosophers, sociologists, legal experts, and even labor unions must take part.

Humanity may continue to flee from the burden of thought. It will hand over decision-making entirely to code. The future may belong to algorithms. Humans may become a will-less crowd.

The future is still an unwritten code. And maybe—just maybe—we are the last generation who gets to decide how to write it.