In a world where AI can do things better, faster, and cheaper than humans, what will human values be based on?
An uneasy morning
Last Friday morning, I turned on my computer and was shocked by the scene in front of me: the AI bot we had just developed analyzed more than 100 research reports in the 8 hours we slept, identified 7 correlation patterns that human analysts completely ignored, and accurately predicted the investment trends of three emerging projects (this week's bullish growth is indeed good). It even generated a very short briefing with links, including visual charts and investment recommendations - this work would have taken my team two weeks to complete.
I nearly dropped my coffee cup as I reviewed the quality of the report. This was no rough draft, but a masterpiece that surpassed the performance of most analysts.
At that moment, a cold reality hit me: "work" and "value" as we know it are being completely redefined. According to McKinsey's 2023 forecast, by 2030, AI will replace about 800 million jobs and create only about 300 million new jobs. This intelligent body composed of electricity and code does not need a salary, medical insurance, or even praise - but it can produce value beyond that of humans.
This brings me to a fundamental question: In a world where AI can do things better, faster, and cheaper than humans, what will human values be based on?
In this new era, traditional economists and investors will face a cognitive crisis, while those who can see this fundamental change will have unprecedented investment opportunities.
From "distribution according to work" to "distribution according to existence": a historic turning point
Humankind is experiencing the third distribution revolution. This is not an exaggeration, but an inevitable conclusion based on the trajectory of historical development.
The first revolution occurred in the agricultural society, where we shifted from the original "distribution according to need" to "distribution according to work." Your work output determines the resources you get.
The second revolution took shape in the development of capitalism and evolved into "distribution according to capital" - capital received excess returns, leading to the concentration of wealth. According to the World Inequality Lab, the richest 1% of the world's population currently owns about 46% of the world's wealth.
And now, AI is pushing us into the third revolution : the era of "distribution according to existence" - the value of a person will no longer be determined primarily by his or her productivity, but by his or her existence itself and uniqueness.
Imagine a scenario where an artist is no longer recognized for how much her work can sell in the market, but because her unique perspective, way of thinking and creative process itself are regarded as valuable resources by society. Her "existential value" - her way of thinking and creativity as a unique individual - becomes the basis for her to obtain resources, not just her work.
I predict that between 2025 and 2027, we will see the first experimental projects based on the idea of “distribution by existence” emerge, initially in the creative industries, knowledge production, and community management. By 2030, with the large-scale replacement of traditional jobs by AI, this distribution model will begin to enter the mainstream discussion.
In this new era, traditional economists and investors will face a cognitive crisis, while those who can see this fundamental change will have unprecedented investment opportunities.
The Chinese model has the potential to avoid the extreme wealth gap that the West may face and form a more sustainable AI development path - ensuring the wide distribution of technological dividends while maintaining innovative vitality.
The Chinese model: unique advantages in the AI era
When thinking about how the world should respond to the AI revolution, I note that the Chinese model presents unique advantages.
The biggest risk facing pure capitalism in the West is "neo-feudalism" - AI dividends are monopolized by a few technology giants, and the vast majority of people become "digital serfs." According to research by Oxford University, top American technology companies have mastered more than 70% of AI patents and key infrastructure. The Western political system is often bound by vested interest groups, making it difficult to achieve necessary systemic reforms.
In contrast, China's institutional arrangements provide a more balanced path. Specifically:
1. Long-term planning capability : China is able to formulate and execute long-term strategic plans without being constrained by short-term election cycles. For example, China’s “New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan” proposes a three-step strategy by 2030, providing a clear path for AI development.
2. Hybrid economic model : China's socialist market economy allows market innovation and state guidance to go hand in hand. Taking the development of large models as an example, China supports the development of both commercial companies (such as Baidu and Alibaba) and national teams (such as Zhipu AI), which not only maintains competitive vitality but also ensures that key technologies are not monopolized.
3. "Common prosperity" concept : China has clearly set common prosperity as a development goal. The 2023 "Guiding Opinions on Promoting Common Prosperity through Digital Economy" clearly proposes to use digital technology to narrow the income gap, providing a policy basis for the reform of the distribution mechanism in the AI era.
4. Industrial policy toolbox : China is exploring innovative tools such as the digital RMB, which may become the technical basis for reconstructing the value distribution mechanism. The programmable nature of the digital RMB makes it possible to support more complex value distribution models, including experiments such as UBI (universal basic income).
In my view, the Chinese model has the potential to avoid the extreme wealth gap that the West may face and to form a more sustainable path for AI development—ensuring the broad distribution of technological dividends while maintaining innovative vitality.
This is a typical example of the Alpha Sniper Fund's "value sniping" strategy - identifying undervalued paradigm-shifting opportunities and accurately building positions.
Bittensor: Valuable Experiment and Investment Opportunity
In this thinking framework, I closely follow various innovative projects that try to solve the AI distribution problem. Bittensor is one of them, which attempts to build a decentralized AI contribution incentive network.
As of press time, the Bittensor that I opened a position in on April 17 has risen by 30%. Although it has a series of design flaws, it still has significant value as an investment target:
1. First-mover advantage : As one of the earliest projects to combine AI with decentralized incentive mechanisms, Bittensor has established ecological advantages and market recognition. It currently has 21 active sub-networks, and more than 3,500 developers contribute AI resources on its platform.
2. Capital revaluation : As the market gradually recognizes the strategic value of AI infrastructure, projects such as Bittensor are experiencing a valuation revaluation. Its TAO token has climbed from less than $0.5 in January 2023 to more than $25 today, with a market value of more than $2.5 billion.
3. Liquidity advantage : Compared with traditional AI startups, Bittensor provides a more liquid investment channel, allowing investors to enter and exit flexibly.
4. Incremental improvement : The project has evolved from the initial "whoever stakes more gets the reward" to a more complex contribution evaluation mechanism, demonstrating its ability to learn and adapt.
Our specific investment strategy is to hold short-term to capture the price increase brought by market revaluation, while paying close attention to the evolution of project governance and increasing positions before key technology or governance upgrades. This is a typical example of the Alpha Sniper Fund's "value sniping" strategy - identifying undervalued paradigm shift opportunities and accurately building positions.
How does this technology reshape human self-value? Does it exacerbate inequality or create a more equitable distribution mechanism?
Alpha Sniper: Value Beyond Traditional Investing
In the face of this historic change, the investment philosophy of Alpha Sniper Fund goes beyond the simple pursuit of profit. Our core values are reflected in three aspects:
1. Investment decisions from a civilizational perspective
We not only focus on whether a project can bring financial returns, but also on whether it promotes the healthy development of human civilization. Last year, we gave up an investment opportunity in an AI weapon system with an expected return of more than 200%, even though it was a "perfect" investment from a purely financial perspective. Instead, we invested in a project that may have a more modest return but is committed to the universal application of AI.
While most funds are still arguing about whether a token will rise or fall, we are already asking: How does this technology reshape the self-value definition of human beings? Does it exacerbate inequality or create a fairer distribution mechanism?
2. Multi-level value capture strategy
Traditional investors tend to look for value at only one level: "How much is this project worth?" Our analytical framework includes multiple dimensions:
Technology value: the degree of innovation of the technology itself
Social value: the impact of technology on social structure
Narrative value: market understanding and acceptance of technology
Time value: the balance between short-term speculation and long-term development
In a world where machines can meet almost all material needs, how will human values be redefined?
A guide to action at historical turning points
Standing on the cusp of the AI revolution, every investor and thinker can take specific actions:
For investors :
Reassess your portfolio to identify industries that will be radically disrupted by AI and areas that will benefit from changes in distribution mechanisms.
Shift capital allocation from pure technology innovation to innovation in allocation mechanisms
Prioritize projects that broadly distribute the benefits of AI, rather than models that concentrate benefits
For entrepreneurs :
Think about how to design business models that both incentivize innovation and ensure broad distribution
Explore new organizational structures that transform users into owners
Make distributive fairness one of the core principles of product design
For individuals :
Develop unique capabilities and perspectives that are difficult for AI to replicate
Participate in early experiments with new allocation mechanisms
Adapt in advance to the new paradigm of "value comes from existence rather than production"
In the next five years, I expect that at least 20-30 important projects will emerge to solve the distribution problem in the AI era. These will be the next golden period of investment and a key opportunity to shape the future of mankind.
While most people are still cheering or saddened by the fluctuations in token prices, I have been thinking about more fundamental questions: In a world where machines can meet almost all material needs, how will human values be redefined?
In this sense, Alpha Sniper is not only an investment fund, but also an in-depth exploration of the future of mankind. We not only invest in projects, we invest in the future - a future where value is redefined, distribution is redesigned, and humans and machines coexist.
If you are thinking about these questions, I invite you to join the Alpha Sniper team for a discussion. We host monthly closed-door discussions that bring together investors, technologists, and philosophers to explore this civilizational transformation.
Because at this critical historical juncture, the most scarce resource is not money, but forward-looking thinking and practical action.
