Civilization is risking disaster by transferring intelligence to artificial intelligence, warns Dr. Martin Jan Stránský, referencing the Fermi curve. From unsuccessful digital education and bans on phone use to a global "storm" of crises – this interview in the FirstClass podcast calls for regulation, limiting screen time, and reclaiming human identity before biological intelligence collapses.
A great deal is at stake: if digital trends continue unchecked, the end of humanity as we know it could occur within four years. The interview with Dr. Jan Stránský in the FirstClass podcast identifies screens, social media, and artificial intelligence as existential threats and urgently calls for systemic change.
Jan Stránský describes a global "ant farm" that erodes cultural boundaries and personal identity, echoing Yuval Noah Harari's ideas. Small crises threaten to turn into a "firestorm" or a "polycrisis." The Fermi curve plays a central role: "When a civilization gradually transfers an increasing portion of its intellectual and reproductive capabilities to something artificial, such as artificial intelligence, it must lead to disaster... someone metaphorically switches off the power, and everything collapses because no one will know how to do anything anymore."
Digital education is an example of this folly. Extensive international studies prove that digital education reduces performance even when used solely for learning. Czech policy lags behind in a "cynical political gridlock," despite the recently adopted proposal to ban mobile phones in schools. Jan Stránský and leading experts from pediatrics, psychology, and neurology are preparing a call for government regulations regarding mobile phones and social media for young children, citing international guidelines and broader societal impacts.
Children should not be exposed to screens before the age of 13–15. Parents and society must set an example and publicly point out that addiction to mobile phones is a disruptive phenomenon, not something "cool." Attention has become the "main currency", driving fashion trends like tattoos, extreme identities, and constant online connectivity at the expense of self-awareness, which requires silence, boredom, and mindfulness. "The brain needs time for reflection" in order to arrive at true insights.
Information overload and fake news further impair the ability to recognize threats, which carries the risk of extinction if biology is no longer able to distinguish reality. Digital technologies act as a "drug released into the wild." Solutions require a holistic change: healthy technological habits in schools, redistribution of wealth for broader prosperity (currently, 8 people own 50% of all global wealth), prioritizing human relationships, education, and identity over endless production and consumption. Positive trends are emerging in lawsuits and increased awareness, especially in polarized areas like the United States, but speed is crucial.
From a global perspective, the energy imperative is clear: we must immediately implement regulations, mitigate exposure to risks, restore in-person education, allow time for rest, and reject outsourcing our humanity. Only by reclaiming our biological strengths can we prevent civilization itself from being "switched off." The window of opportunity for action is rapidly closing.
gnews.cz – GH
The first part of the interview is here:
The second part of the interview is here:
You can watch the entire interview (in Czech) here: