Written by: Saito
I just finished watching Vitalik's podcast episode on a16z, and it was packed with information.
He founded Ethereum at the age of 19, and now in his early 30s, he has gone from being an "autopilot" to a "self-pilot".
The core topic of this episode is the issue that causes us the most anxiety right now: As AI becomes more and more powerful, what should humanity do?
Vitalik's answer is not "fighting AI," but rather creating sanctuary technologies. These technologies protect us without depriving us of our privacy and agency.
Today, we'll break down the most challenging counterintuitive viewpoints, practical suggestions, and Ethereum's new positioning from this episode.
The biggest risk in the AI era is not that AI is too smart, but that humans are too passive.
Vitalik stated bluntly that the world is now less safe and less peaceful than it was 10 to 15 years ago.
Many people are pursuing a kind of "security": entrusting everything to "the uncles in the sky," that is, large companies, super AIs, and centralized systems, letting them make decisions, manage risks, and provide protection for us.
But the price of this security is that we lose our privacy and our agency.
Vitalik calls this kind of security disempowering safety, which means security that makes people increasingly powerless.
This is also where he reinterprets the mission of crypto/Ethereum. The significance of Ethereum is not to "fix the dollar," not to fix the existing financial system, but to create a new option. You are free to choose whether to use it or not.
This is the true sanctuary: safe yet allowing you to retain your sovereignty.
Sanctuary Technologies: Small spaces that preserve freedom for humanity
Sanctuary Technologies is a term coined by Vitalik, and its translation as "sanctuary technology" is quite apt.
It doesn't aim to turn the whole world into a safe haven, nor does it seek to rule everyone through a larger system. What it truly wants to do is provide you with a safe little space where you can think, coordinate, and create freely, without being completely controlled by external forces.
It has several core features: it does not totalize and does not attempt to dominate the world; it preserves privacy and agency; and everyone can freely enter and exit without coercion.
Ethereum is a typical example of sanctuary tech. It doesn't try to fix the existing financial system; instead, it gives you a parallel option. Use it if you want, and don't use it if you don't.
This will become increasingly important in the AI era. Because as large companies and super AIs become more and more powerful, what humans really need is not another system that "arranges everything for you," but rather the space that allows you to retain your choices.
From autopilot to active pilot: Vitalik's personal growth
Vitalik recalled that when he founded Ethereum at the age of 19, he was largely in an autopilot state.
Many of his decisions were made in the flow of life: dropping out of school, writing a white paper, and being denied a visa by Ripple all turned into turning points in his life. At that time, he felt more like he was being pushed along by the world.
But now he is increasingly realizing that the world is changing too fast, no one will come to save you, you have to be your own pilot.
He gave several relatable examples. Ten years ago, people wouldn't mind not contacting friends for a few days; now, they'd feel anxious if they didn't reply to messages for a day. Ten years ago, you might actually get lost while walking; now, with mobile navigation, cities have become like "teleportation points."
These changes are a reminder that the world "dies and is reborn" every 5 to 10 years. If you keep living according to the old script, you will soon fall behind.
Therefore, what truly matters in the AI era is not passively waiting for technology to take you somewhere, but actively deciding how you want to use technology.
The more powerful AI becomes, the more humans need to maintain "manual mode."
Vitalik specifically emphasized that active learning is 10 times more effective than passive learning, even if it takes the same amount of time.
From a young age, he forced himself to do many things manually, such as not using a calculator in chemistry class and not using GPS navigation when walking. The purpose was not to be anti-technology, but to keep his brain online.
The more powerful the AI becomes, the more we should deliberately retain some "manual modes".
Sometimes I deliberately avoid using AI to write code, sometimes I deliberately avoid using navigation, and sometimes I deliberately avoid using chatbots to think for me.
This is not about nostalgia, nor is it about rejecting efficiency; it's about preventing brain atrophy and maintaining one's agency.
AI can help us do many things, but if all thinking, judgment, and exploration are outsourced, humans will gradually become passengers in the system. Vitalik's reminder is: you can use AI, but don't let yourself become completely dependent on it.
Practical advice for builders
Vitalik's insights in this episode are very direct and helpful for ordinary builders.
First, force yourself to do things manually. Even if AI can help you, do them yourself from time to time to ensure your brain doesn't become rusty.
Second, active learning. Don't just let AI give you the answers; deduce them yourself, verify them yourself, and do it yourself.
Third, build sanctuary technologies. Whether you're building open-source tools, decentralized protocols, or personal knowledge bases, you must prioritize one thing: does it help people retain sovereignty?
Fourth, don't outsource all your brainpower. AI can help you with execution, but you must control the strategy, direction, and values yourself.
Fifth, maintain serendipity. Participate in more offline activities, chat with real people, and don't rely solely on algorithmic recommendations for all your discoveries.
These points all point to the same core message: the AI era is not about using tools less, but about using tools more proactively.
Ethereum's new positioning: not fixing the old world, but creating new options.
Vitalik's positioning of crypto is also very clear.
Crypto cannot solve all the problems of the dollar, nor does it need to pretend it can. But it can create something new without those shortcomings.
Everyone is free to choose whether or not to use it.
This is where crypto's greatest strength lies: it doesn't force you; it gives you the choice.
In an era where AI power is becoming increasingly centralized, this will become increasingly valuable. Because when more and more systems try to make decisions for you, filter information for you, and assess risks for you, a parallel option that is not mandatory and can be freely entered and exited becomes very important.
The value of Ethereum/crypto is not "winning over the old world", but giving you a new world where you can choose freely.
The most counterintuitive statements in this issue
The biggest risk in the AI era is not that AI will replace humans, but that humans will willingly become passengers.
Sanctuary isn't about making the whole world safer, but about giving you a safe little space where you can still retain your freedom.
Active learning is 10 times better than passive learning, even if it takes the same amount of time.
The world dies and is reborn every 5 to 10 years, and we must be the pilots ourselves.
Inspiration for ordinary people
The more powerful AI becomes, the more proactive humans need to be.
Don't outsource all your thinking to models. Do more manual work to keep your mind online. Participate in building tools that preserve human sovereignty, whether they are open-source, decentralized, or personal knowledge management systems.
Remember: Technology is ultimately meant to serve humanity, not replace it.
Vitalik concluded by saying that we humans are the brightest stars. AI can be very powerful, but what truly drives the world forward are proactive, agency-driven people.
In short
Vitalik's 10 years of personal experience tells us that the AI era is not an era of complacency, but an era in which humans need to take the initiative to steer the ship.
Don't outsource your brain to models. Do more manual work, build sanctuary technologies, and retain your own privacy and agency.
My biggest takeaway from this episode is that we used to be afraid that AI would take away our jobs, but now we see that AI is actually upgrading people from "executors" to "designers".
What is truly scarce is never computing power, but people who are willing to think proactively and retain their sovereignty.
