Can AI Actually Build Utopia or Is That Just Hype?
Are we getting too lazy to think without AI?
You use it for emails, reports, research. It saves time. But every shortcut you take, every task you hand over, you feel a quiet trade-off happening. Efficiency for autonomy. Speed for depth. Convenience for critical thinking.
In this episode:
- Why AI acts as a cosmic mirror that reflects our worst habits back at us
- How laziness becomes the trap when machines can outthink, outwork, and outlast us
- What happens when humans drift into digital dependency instead of staying grounded
- Why short-term pain might be necessary for long-term transformation
- How to decide which tasks to outsource and which require you to stay sharp
- What the hero's journey teaches us about navigating AI's crucible
Guest: Jeff Burningham, author of The Last Book Written by a Human and former gubernatorial candidate. He believes AI is forcing humanity to confront an uncomfortable question: Are we ready to evolve, or will we choose the easy path and lose ourselves in the process?
🔗 Links:
Chapters (Benefit-Driven Labels):
0:00 — Why AI feels like a trap we're setting for ourselves
2:30 — AI as a cosmic mirror: Reflecting humanity's recorded data
5:30 — Short-term pessimism, long-term hope (and why pain matters)
9:30 — The laziness problem: What happens when AI outworks us
14:00 — Embodied humans vs. digital drift: Two paths forward
18:30 — Why the hero's journey applies to AI transformation
21:00 — Job loss and male unemployment: The civil unrest risk
25:00 — The old game vs. the new game: Choosing transformation
31:00 — Can governments regulate AI fast enough? (Probably not)
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Author of The Last Book Written by a Human: Becoming Wise in the Age of AI
Jeff Burningham is the author of The Last Book Written by a Human: Becoming Wise in the Age of AI (Simon & Schuster), a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to stay deeply human in an increasingly automated world. In the book, Burningham draws on decades of experience building companies, investing in founders, and leading communities to examine how we can cultivate wisdom, empathy, and purpose as artificial intelligence accelerates around us.
A serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Jeff started his career building a tech startup in college and later founded Peak Capital Partners and Peak Ventures, establishing himself as a major player in real-estate, venture capital, and technology with multibillion-dollar assets under management by the time he was in his 30s. Drawing from his business journey, his run for governor of Utah in 2020, and his lifelong interest in consciousness, spirituality, and human potential, Jeff brings a unique vantage point to the intersection of leadership, innovation, and meaningful community building. Jeff previously served as a Bishop in his local congregation, an experience that profoundly shaped his views on service, faith, and the human spirit.
With a compelling blend of business acumen, spiritual inquiry, and storytelling, Jeff reframes the dialogue around AI: It’s not just about replacing humans - it’s about recovering what makes us human.
He is a happily married father of four, a proud grandfather, and lives in Provo, Utah where he continues to dedicate his time, talents, and resources to be a… Read More
