Replace or coexist

Learning from the history of emerging technology causing replacements vs coexistence.

So there are examples in history where technology that was emerging replaced other existing turnaround technology. There are also examples where they didn’t replace and existed side by side in the world. Name five examples for both.

GPT-4o, Chat

Here are five examples where emerging technology replaced older tech, and five examples where both coexisted:

Replacement Examples

  1. Smartphones replaced feature phones
    → Touchscreen smartphones made basic phones nearly obsolete in many regions.
  2. Cars replaced horse-drawn carriages
    → Personal and commercial transport was revolutionized.
  3. Streaming services replaced DVDs and Blu-rays
    → Physical media sales sharply declined.
  4. Digital photography replaced film cameras
    → Convenience, instant results, and lower costs shifted the market.
  5. Electric lights replaced gas lamps
    → Safer, brighter, and more efficient for homes and cities.

Coexistence Examples

  1. Trains and airplanes
    → Trains dominate for short/mid distances; planes for long-haul.
  2. E-books and printed books
    → Both formats serve different preferences and situations.
  3. Vinyl records and digital music
    → Vinyl has a niche comeback among enthusiasts.
  4. Manual and automatic transmission cars
    → Coexist depending on region and driving preference.
  5. Mechanical watches and smartwatches
    → Luxury, tradition vs. functionality and tech features. Want examples focused on a particular era or industry?

But there are certain attributes of the technology that differentiate both the V2 and the other.

Absolutely. When technologies coexist or one replaces the other, it’s usually due to distinct attributes that shape adoption. Here’s a breakdown using a few from each category:

Replacement: Differentiating Attributes

  1. Smartphones vs. Feature Phones
    • Smartphones: Internet, apps, multitouch, camera, frequent updates.
    • Feature phones: Limited functionality, basic calling/texting.
  2. Cars vs. Horse-Drawn Carriages
    • Cars: Speed, range, reliability, infrastructure evolution.
    • Carriages: Slow, high maintenance (animals), limited range.
  3. Digital Photography vs. Film Cameras
    • Digital: Instant preview, storage flexibility, no development needed.
    • Film: Costly, delayed results, limited exposures.

Coexistence: Differentiating Attributes

  1. E-books vs. Printed Books
    • E-books: Portability, instant access, adjustable font size.
    • Print: Tactile experience, collectibility, no power needed.
  2. Vinyl Records vs. Digital Music
    • Vinyl: Analog warmth, physical ritual, nostalgia.
    • Digital: Convenience, portability, massive libraries.
  3. Trains vs. Planes
    • Trains: City-center to city-center, less security hassle, scenic.
    • Planes: Long-distance speed, global connectivity. Would you like a table comparing one of these pairs in more detail?

when we transfer this type of thinking to the situation with AI and how it relates to human contribution, creativity, the human as creator. What does this tell us? what might be the human

Great question. When we apply this framework to AI vs. human creativity, the coexistence/replacement pattern tells us a few key things:

🧠 What It Tells Us

  1. AI can replace certain tasks, not the whole creator role
    • Like digital cameras replacing film development, but not replacing photographers.
    • AI might automate drafting, coding, composing — but not vision, judgment, or intent.
  2. Coexistence thrives when differentiated by purpose or value
    • Humans bring meaning, context, emotion, ethics.
    • AI brings scale, speed, suggestion, variation.
  3. Creativity isn’t just output — it’s identity and relationship
    • Human creation connects people, expresses self, builds culture.
    • AI, even when creative, doesn’t have desire or lived experience.

🤔 What Might the Human Be?

  • Curator: Selecting, editing, guiding AI contributions.
  • Director: Providing the narrative, goals, and intent behind outputs.
  • Meaning-maker: Framing creations within culture, story, and emotion.
  • Boundary-pusher: Using AI to explore new forms but anchoring them in human perspective.
  • Ethical compass: Ensuring creation serves humane, inclusive, and thoughtful outcomes.

So like vinyl vs. digital, or mechanical watches vs. smartwatches — humans will still matter > deeply, especially where soul, story, and significance are needed.

Would you like a visual summary of this comparison?

Continue conversation