Erik Brynjolfsson
8 key ideas, each explained in our own words.
The Second Machine Age
- IDEA 1
Machines now augment minds
Brynjolfsson and McAfee argue that just as the first machine age, the Industrial Revolution, multiplied human muscle power, a second machine age of digital technology is multiplying mental power. This will transform economies.
- IDEA 2
Exponential growth surprises us
The authors explain that computing power has grown exponentially, doubling again and again. Such growth seems slow at first and then becomes astonishing. Because the pace feels so gradual early on, people underestimate how far it can go.
- IDEA 3
Digital goods are nearly free
The authors explain that once something is digitised, it can be copied almost for free. This changes how value is created. Copies of a song or a program cost almost nothing, so one product can reach millions of people.
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