San Francisco’s artificial intelligence (AI) industry isn’t populated by the stereotypical Silicon Valley elite. Many of its driving forces, like 24-year-old Marshall Kools, live modestly, sharing apartments and eschewing luxury, while quietly building the technology that could reshape the future of work.
A Generation Forging the Future
Kools, a co-founder of an AI start-up, represents a wave of young professionals focused on applying AI to streamline white-collar jobs – a pursuit that, ironically, could displace many workers. This reality is openly discussed in San Francisco’s tech circles, from trendy bars like Céleste and Roaming Goat to the autonomous Waymo vehicles navigating the city’s hills.
The atmosphere is reminiscent of the 1849 Gold Rush, with AI generating wealth at an unprecedented rate. The difference is that this new “gold” isn’t dug from the earth; it’s coded into existence, and its impact could be far more disruptive than any historical boom.
The Contrast with Early Computing
The current obsession with AI stands in sharp contrast to the early days of computing. When Sade’s “Love Deluxe” was released in 1992 – a time before smartphones – the idea of marketing algorithms as “sentient” entities was nonexistent. Kools, like many in his generation, was born into a world where advanced computation is now inseparable from the human imagination.
This generational gap highlights a crucial shift: AI isn’t just about technology anymore; it’s about a new worldview where machines are increasingly perceived as intelligent agents. This perception fuels both excitement and anxiety, especially as AI-driven automation becomes more pervasive.
The current AI boom is reshaping not just the job market, but also the very definition of work and value. This trend demands attention, given its potential to exacerbate existing inequalities and accelerate the pace of technological disruption.
