by DR. Ricardo Petrissans | Aug 2, 2025 | Transhumanism
Techno Caesarism is an emerging concept that merges classical authoritarianism (Caesarism) with the technological and financial power of contemporary leaders, especially Silicon Valley magnates. It is characterized by the concentration of political, economic, and social influence in figures who use their control over advanced technologies, digital platforms, and capital to impose agendas that weaken democratic institutions, promoting a personalized and centralized model of governance.
Key elements of Techno Caesarism:
The first element is technological power as a tool of control: techno-Caesarist leaders leverage digital platforms (social networks, algorithms, big data) to manipulate public opinion, spread propaganda, and suppress critical voices. Example: Elon Musk acquired Twitter (X) in 2024, using it to promote political campaigns such as Donald Trump’s. Additionally, technologies like Artificial Intelligence (Palantir, developed by Peter Thiel) are employed for mass surveillance and strategic decision-making, consolidating near-omnipotent power.
The second element is alliances between oligarchs and political leaders: tech magnates finance political campaigns in exchange for influence over regulatory policies. For example, Musk spent \$200 million on Trump’s 2024 campaign and was appointed director of the “Department of Government Efficiency,” focused on reducing regulations affecting his companies. This model draws inspiration from cases like Viktor Orbán in Hungary, where government-allied oligarchs control 80% of the media, silencing opposition.
The third element is the narrative of “Creative Destruction”: under the motto of innovation and efficiency, deregulation of key sectors (energy, telecommunications) and the weakening of democratic institutions are justified. Musk and Thiel argue that the state must be “reduced” to favor business freedom, even if this concentrates power in private hands.
The fourth element is the cult of the digital personality: techno-Caesarists build a charismatic public image, combining technological achievements (space travel, autonomous cars) with an anti-establishment discourse. Musk, for example, presents himself as a “rebel visionary” against traditional elites, despite being part of the new oligarchy.
The fifth element is the erosion of representative democracy: plebiscitary mechanisms or rapid executive decisions are promoted, avoiding legislative processes. Trump, supported by Musk, proposed governing through decrees and appointing loyal leaders in key agencies, imitating the “Caesarist democracy” model described by Laureano Vallenilla Lanz.
Some historical and contemporary examples:
Elon Musk and Trump: their alliance symbolizes techno Caesarism, where the former provides technology and capital, and the latter, political power. Together, they seek to reconfigure the state under technocratic and authoritarian premises.
Peter Thiel: co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, Thiel has financed projects that merge state surveillance with corporate interests, advocating an “authoritarian libertarianism.”
Global Models: in Hungary (Orbán) and Russia (Putin), political leaders collaborate with tech oligarchs to control media and data, replicating Caesarist dynamics with digital tools.
Implications and Criticisms:
Risk of Digital Autocracy: the concentration of power in figures like Musk or Bezos threatens to turn democracy into a façade, where key decisions are made by an unelected elite.
Economic Inequality: according to ProPublica, Musk paid only 3.3% in taxes between 2014-2018, while his fortune grew exponentially, exemplifying how techno Caesarism exacerbates the social gap.
Ethics and Transparency: the lack of regulation in AI, social networks, and cryptocurrencies allows these leaders to operate without accountability, using “dark patterns” to manipulate behavior.
In conclusion:
Techno Caesarism represents an evolution of classical authoritarianism, adapted to the digital age. It combines the charisma of traditional leaders with the disruptive power of technology, posing unprecedented challenges to democracy and global equity. As former President Joseph Biden warned: “An oligarchy is taking shape in the United States,” and the world watches to see if this model will consolidate as the new paradigm of the 21st century.
by DR. Ricardo Petrissans | Jul 24, 2025 | Artificial intelligence
Artificial Intelligence Today: A Landscape of Innovation and Reflection
In the early decades of the 21st century, artificial intelligence has ceased to be a futuristic promise and has become an everyday reality. Its evolution, accelerated by unprecedented technological advances, has permeated industries, redefined human interactions, and sparked ethical debates that challenge our conception of society. Today, AI is not only a tool for optimization, but also a mirror reflecting both our ambitions and our contradictions.
The present of artificial intelligence is defined by a fascinating duality: on one hand, systems capable of emulating human creativity, such as generating poetry or painting pictures; on the other, algorithms that make critical decisions in fields like justice or healthcare, with implications that go beyond the technical and delve into the moral. This duality marks a historical moment in which technology advances faster than our ability to comprehend its consequences.
One of the central axes of current development is Generative Artificial Intelligence, whose rise has democratized access to tools once reserved for experts. Models like OpenAI’s GPT-4, Anthropic’s Claude, or Google’s Gemini not only answer questions, but also write code, summarize complex texts, and simulate philosophical conversations. Meanwhile, systems like DALL-E 3, MidJourney, or Stable Diffusion have revolutionized digital art, enabling the creation of hyper-realistic images from textual descriptions. These advances, powered by neural network architectures known as transformers, operate through an attention mechanism that — in a simplified manner — mimics the way humans prioritize information. However, their effectiveness depends on colossal amounts of data and energy, a fact that has ignited debates about sustainability and equity in access to computational resources.
In the Scientific Field, Artificial Intelligence Acts as a Discovery Accelerator
Projects like AlphaFold, developed by DeepMind, have solved the “protein folding problem,” a biological puzzle that had hindered drug development for half a century. Today, thanks to predictive models, scientists can identify protein structures in hours instead of years, paving the way for treatments against Alzheimer’s and cancer. In particle physics, machine learning algorithms filter signals in CERN experiments, while in astronomy, AI classifies potentially habitable exoplanets from space telescope data.
In the Business Sector, a Transformation Driven by Intelligent Automation
Platforms like Salesforce Einstein or Microsoft Copilot integrate AI to predict sales trends, draft emails, or manage projects. In logistics, companies like Amazon use autonomous robots in warehouses, coordinated by systems that optimize routes in real time. However, this efficiency comes at a cost: according to the World Economic Forum, 40% of current job skills could become obsolete by 2025, a figure that underscores the urgency of workforce reskilling policies.
On a More Personal Level, Artificial Intelligence Has Infiltrated Everyday Devices
Virtual assistants (Siri, Alexa) learn from our habits to anticipate needs; smartphones adjust their brightness based on the environment, and social media platforms use recommendation algorithms that, while personalizing experiences, have also been criticized for creating information bubbles. This omnipresence raises uncomfortable questions: Where is the line between convenience and surveillance? Who owns the data that feeds these systems?
Advances in Natural Language Processing (NLP) Have Been Particularly Disruptive
Models like LaMDA from Google or Llama from Meta can maintain coherent conversations, but their ability to generate persuasive misinformation has led companies and governments to seek verification mechanisms. Projects like “Watermarking for Language Models” —which inserts imperceptible marks into AI-generated texts— aim to differentiate the human from the artificial, a critical need in a world where voice and video deepfakes threaten the integrity of elections and markets.
However, Technical Progress Has Not Gone Hand in Hand With the Resolution of Ethical Dilemmas
Algorithmic biases remain an endemic issue: recruitment systems that discriminate based on gender or policing tools that misidentify ethnic minorities reveal that AI, far from being neutral, reproduces historical prejudices. Organizations like the Algorithmic Justice League, founded by Joy Buolamwini, work to audit these systems, while the European Union is advancing its Artificial Intelligence Act, the first comprehensive legal framework that classifies applications by risk and prohibits uses such as facial recognition in public spaces.
In the Medical Field, Artificial Intelligence Promises Revolutions but Faces Skepticism
Although algorithms can diagnose breast cancer with accuracy comparable to expert radiologists, clinical adoption is slow due to legal liability and transparency issues. How can we trust a system that does not explain its reasoning? Research in Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) aims to make the “black boxes” of models understandable—a crucial step in earning the trust of professionals and patients.
Looking Ahead, the Race Toward Superintelligence Divides the Scientific Community
Figures like Elon Musk and Nick Bostrom warn of existential risks, while others, like Andrew Ng, consider these concerns premature. Amid the debate, initiatives such as the Partnership on AI emerge, where academics, companies, and non-governmental organizations collaborate to ensure that artificial intelligence benefits humanity.
Today’s Artificial Intelligence Is, in Essence, a Paradoxical Phenomenon
A tool of progress that demands caution, a human creation that surpasses us in specific tasks but lacks consciousness. Its development is not just a story of chips and algorithms, but of collective aspirations, moral decisions, and, above all, our ability to guide a technology that, as philosopher Nick Bostrom aptly noted, could be “the last invention we ever need to make.” The challenge is no longer to build smarter machines, but to ensure that their intelligence serves a more just and thoughtful future.
by DR. Ricardo Petrissans | Jul 15, 2025 | Artificial intelligence
Max Tegmark: An Explorer of the Frontiers of Knowledge
Max Tegmark, born in Sweden in 1967, is a world-renowned theoretical physicist and cosmologist, known for his pioneering research and bold vision of the universe. His work ranges from precision cosmology to artificial intelligence, always seeking answers to the most fundamental questions about the nature of reality.
Education:
Max Tegmark has a solid academic background, having studied at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the Stockholm School of Economics.
He earned his Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley, where he began to stand out for his ability to tackle complex cosmological problems.
He is currently a professor of physics at MIT, where he continues his research in cosmology and artificial intelligence. His work at MIT has been fundamental to the development of new techniques for analyzing cosmological data.
Future of Life Institute:
He is co-founder of the Future of Life Institute, an organization dedicated to mitigating existential risks associated with advanced technologies, especially artificial intelligence. Through this institute, Tegmark promotes the development of safe and beneficial AI for humanity.
Contributions to Cosmology:
Tegmark has made significant contributions to the field of cosmology, especially in the analysis of cosmic microwave background data and the large-scale structure of the universe. His work has helped refine our understanding of the standard cosmological model, providing strong evidence for the existence of dark matter and dark energy.
One of his most notable achievements is the development of advanced statistical techniques to extract information from cosmological data. His methods have enabled scientists to obtain precise measurements of cosmological parameters such as the age of the universe, matter density, and the curvature of space-time.
The Mathematical Universe and the Multiverses:
Tegmark is known for his Mathematical Universe Hypothesis, which posits that physical reality is fundamentally mathematical. According to this view, all possible mathematical structures physically exist, and our universe is just one of them.
This idea has led him to explore the theory of multiverses, which suggests that multiple universes exist, each with its own physical laws and fundamental constants. Tegmark has proposed a classification of multiverses into four levels, based on their degree of similarity to our universe.
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity
In addition to his work in cosmology, Tegmark is a leader in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and an advocate for its responsible use. He is a co-founder of the Future of Life Institute, an organization dedicated to mitigating existential risks associated with advanced technologies, including Artificial Intelligence.
Tegmark argues that Artificial Intelligence has the potential to profoundly transform society, but it also presents significant challenges. He advocates for the research and development of safe and beneficial AI, and for the establishment of ethical and regulatory frameworks to guide its use.
Scientific Outreach and Transdisciplinary Thinking
Tegmark is a talented science communicator and a prolific author. His books, such as Our Mathematical Universe and Life 3.0, have captivated readers around the world, explaining complex concepts in physics and cosmology in a clear and accessible manner.
His transdisciplinary approach, combining physics, mathematics, computer science, and philosophy, has made him an influential figure in the contemporary intellectual landscape. Tegmark invites us to reflect on our place in the cosmos and to consider the ethical implications of our technological advancement.
Specific Aspects of Importance
Max Tegmark is a visionary scientist whose research and thinking have expanded the horizons of our knowledge. His work in cosmology and theoretical physics has transformed our understanding of the universe, while his leadership in the field of Artificial Intelligence urges us to consider the future of humanity with responsibility and hope.
Precision Cosmology:
Tegmark has pioneered the use of advanced statistical techniques to analyze cosmic microwave background data and galaxy distribution.
His work has helped establish a more precise standard cosmological model, with more accurate measurements of cosmological parameters.
Quantum Information Theory:
His research also extends to quantum information theory, where he explores the relationship between information and physical reality.
The Importance of Consciousness:
Tegmark also dedicates time to thinking about consciousness, and how it might be related to physics and artificial intelligence.
Expansion and Deepening of Tegmark’s Research
Max Tegmark: A Pioneer at the Intersection of Physics and Philosophy
Max Tegmark is not only a consummate theoretical physicist, but also a modern philosopher who dares to question the very foundations of our understanding of the universe. His unique approach combines scientific rigor with philosophical speculation, making him a singular figure in today’s intellectual landscape.
The Mathematical Universe Hypothesis: A Radical Vision of Reality
Tegmark’s Mathematical Universe Hypothesis is one of his most provocative contributions. This idea holds that the physical universe is not merely described by mathematics, but that it is a mathematical structure. In other words, reality is fundamentally mathematical, and all possible mathematical structures exist physically.
This view has profound implications for our understanding of the universe and our place within it. If the universe is a mathematical structure, then the laws of physics are not arbitrary but are necessary consequences of the underlying mathematical framework. Moreover, the existence of other mathematical structures would imply the existence of other universes, leading to the theory of multiverses.
Tegmark’s Multiverses: A Classification of Reality
Tegmark has proposed a classification of multiverses into four levels, each with an increasing degree of difference from our universe:
Level 1: Universes beyond the cosmic horizon
These universes have the same physical laws and fundamental constants as ours but differ in their initial conditions.
Level 2: Universes with different physical constants
These universes have different physical laws and fundamental constants, leading to a variety of possible structures and phenomena.
Level 3: Everett’s multiverse (many worlds)
In this multiverse, all quantum possibilities are realized in parallel universes.
Level 4: The mathematical multiverse
This is the most radical level, where all possible mathematical structures exist physically.
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Civilization
Tegmark’s concern about AI extends beyond technical aspects to include ethical and social implications. He warns of the potential risks of superintelligent Artificial Intelligence, such as the loss of human control and the emergence of apocalyptic scenarios.
However, Tegmark is also optimistic about the potential of Artificial Intelligence to improve human life. He believes that AI can help us solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges, such as climate change, poverty, and disease.
His book Life 3.0 explores these issues in depth, offering a provocative vision of the future of civilization in the age of Artificial Intelligence.
Scientific Outreach and Public Engagement
Tegmark is a passionate advocate for scientific outreach and public engagement. He believes it is important for the public to understand scientific and technological advances and to participate in decisions that affect our future.
Through his books, lectures, and media appearances, Tegmark strives to make science accessible and engaging for a broad audience.
Max Tegmark is an exceptional scientist and thinker who invites us to explore the frontiers of knowledge and reflect on our place in the universe. His work in cosmology, theoretical physics, and artificial intelligence has expanded our understanding of reality and challenged us to consider the implications of our technological progress.
by DR. Ricardo Petrissans | Jul 12, 2025 | Artificial intelligence
A Journey from Imagination to Everyday Reality
Artificial intelligence, that phrase now echoing through laboratories, companies, and homes, began as a dream woven between myths and equations. At its core, it is the ability of machines to perform tasks that, until recently, required human intelligence: learning from experience, recognizing patterns, making decisions, and even creating. But its history is not merely a succession of algorithms and circuits; it is a tale of ambition, epic failures, and reinventions that have transformed our relationship with technology.
It all started in the mists of imagination. The ancient Greeks spoke of Talos, a bronze giant who protected Crete, and medieval alchemists dreamed of homunculi, artificial beings. However, the true starting point occurred in 1950, when Alan Turing, a British mathematician who decoded Nazi codes during World War II, posed an unsettling question: Can machines think? His article “Computing Machinery and Intelligence” not only proposed the famous Turing test — in which a machine must convince a human that it is another human — but also sparked the flame of a revolution.
In 1956, during a conference at Dartmouth, United States, a group of scientists — led by John McCarthy, who coined the term artificial intelligence — gathered to explore how to create machines capable of simulating intelligence. They were optimistic: they believed that within a decade, general AI — that is, an artificial mind with human abilities — would be achieved. But they soon faced harsh reality. Computers in the 1950s, with their limited power and wardrobe-sized memories, could barely solve basic problems. Still, pioneering projects were born: ELIZA, a 1960s chatbot that simulated a psychotherapist, or Shakey, the first mobile robot capable of analyzing its environment.
The 1980s brought a new approach: expert systems, programs that mimicked the knowledge of specialists in fields like medicine or geology. MYCIN, for example, diagnosed bacterial infections with accuracy comparable to that of doctors. But these systems were fragile: if a situation went beyond their programming, they failed dramatically. The lack of adaptability, coupled with unfulfilled promises, led to two AI winters — periods of skepticism and funding cuts — that lasted until the late 1990s.
The renaissance arrived with the new millennium, driven by three forces: data, computational power, and algorithms. The internet generated massive amounts of information, graphics processing units (GPUs) enabled it to be processed at previously unthinkable speeds, and new machine learning techniques gave machines the ability to learn on their own. In 2012, a milestone marked the path: AlexNet, a neural network that won an image recognition contest with revolutionary accuracy. It was proof that deep learning — deep neural networks inspired by the human brain — could solve complex problems.
The 2010s saw AI infiltrate daily life. Assistants like Siri and Alexa became common, Netflix and Spotify algorithms learned our tastes, and autonomous cars began navigating roads. But the most iconic moment came in 2016, when AlphaGo, a system from Google DeepMind, defeated the world champion of Go, an ancient game considered more complex than chess. The machine not only won: it did so with creative moves that baffled experts.
Today, AI is no longer a passive tool. With the rise of generative AI, machines not only analyze — they create. Models like OpenAI’s GPT-4 write essays, solve math problems, and hold fluid conversations. DALL·E and Midjourney generate realistic images from text descriptions, while tools like GitHub Copilot write code as if they had decades of experience. These breakthroughs are based on architectures like transformers, which process language and images by detecting patterns in millions of examples.
In medicine, AI is saving lives. AlphaFold, another marvel from DeepMind, predicts protein structures with an accuracy that accelerates drug development. Algorithms diagnose cancers in X-rays with success rates comparable to expert radiologists, and projects like the startup Insilico Medicine use AI to design drugs in months, not years. In agriculture, drones with sensors optimize harvests; in the climate fight, models predict natural disasters or design materials to capture CO₂.
But This Power Brings Deep Dilemmas
The same algorithms that recommend movies can perpetuate racial or gender biases if trained on flawed data. In 2018, for example, it was discovered that an Amazon recruitment system discriminated against women because it was based on historical résumés from a male-dominated industry. Artificial Intelligence also raises existential challenges: deepfakes — hyper-realistic fake videos — threaten to erode trust in institutions, while automation could eliminate millions of jobs, especially in routine sectors.
Faced with these risks, governments and organizations are seeking ethical frameworks. The European Union is leading with regulations that classify Artificial Intelligence applications according to their level of risk, banning uses such as indiscriminate facial recognition. Meanwhile, researchers like Timnit Gebru and Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, advocate for transparent and auditable AI. Even giants like OpenAI and Google have implemented safeguards to prevent their models from generating harmful content.
The future of AI is a canvas of possibilities and unanswered questions. Will we eventually create artificial general intelligence (AGI), a machine with human-like consciousness and versatility? Experts like Yoshua Bengio believe it is still decades away, while others, like Elon Musk, urge preparation for its risks. In the meantime, quantum artificial intelligence — the fusion of algorithms with quantum computing — promises to solve problems currently out of reach, such as room-temperature superconductivity or the design of clean energy sources.
On this journey, perhaps the most remarkable aspect is not the technology itself, but how it is redefining what it means to be human. AI forces us to rethink creativity, privacy, and even ethics. It reminds us that although machines can mimic our intelligence, wisdom — that blend of empathy, morality, and context — remains the exclusive domain of the human mind. That is why the true challenge is not building smarter machines, but ensuring their evolution reflects the best of us: curiosity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to the common good.
Artificial intelligence is no longer science fiction. It is a mirror reflecting our capabilities, our biases, and our hopes. And like any mirror, its value lies not in what it shows, but in what we choose to do with that reflection.
by DR. Ricardo Petrissans | Jan 30, 2025 | Artificial intelligence
Raymond Kurzweil is not only known for his predictions about the Technological Singularity and his work at Google, but also for being one of the co-founders of Singularity University (SU). This institution plays an important role in the dissemination and study of the implications of exponential technologies, including the Singularity.
Singularity University (SU) is an innovative educational institution with a futuristic vision, founded in 2008 by Peter Diamandis and Raymond Kurzweil, in collaboration with organizations like Google and NASA. Its main focus is on exponential technologies and their potential to address humanity’s grand challenges. Its headquarters are located at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California.
Singularity University aims to train leaders and promote innovation based on exponential technologies to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. Raymond Kurzweil, as a co-founder, has played a key role in the creation and development of SU, using his vision of the Singularity as a framework to understand the future of technology and its impact on society. The university is dedicated to preparing humanity for a future of rapidly accelerating technological changes, as predicted by Kurzweil.
Kurzweil is one of the co-founders and a key figure at SU. His vision of the Technological Singularity serves as the theoretical foundation for many of the university’s programs and activities. His active participation in SU ensures that ideas about the future of technology and its impact on society remain a central focus of the institution.
Location and Context:
SU’s headquarters are located at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California. This strategic location places it at the epicenter of technological innovation, surrounded by leading tech companies, research centers, and an entrepreneurial culture. The Ames Research Center itself is a major NASA research facility dedicated to space exploration, aeronautics, and scientific research, providing an inspiring environment for SU.
Objectives of Singularity University:
SU’s main mission is “to assemble, educate, and inspire leaders to apply exponential technologies to address humanity’s grand challenges.” In other words, it aims to:
Educate about exponential technologies: it offers educational programs that explore the implications of technologies such as AI, biotechnology, nanotechnology, robotics, 3D printing, energy, and more. These technologies have the potential to radically transform various sectors and generate innovative solutions to complex problems.
Promote innovation to solve global problems: it drives the creation of innovative solutions based on these technologies to address the major challenges facing humanity, such as poverty, disease, climate change, water scarcity, and education.
Train leaders for the Future: it prepares leaders and entrepreneurs to understand and harness the potential of exponential technologies to create a better future.
The main programs offered by Singularity University:
SU offers a variety of educational programs designed for different audiences:
Executive Programs: These are intensive short-duration programs aimed at executives, business leaders, and government officials to understand the strategic implications of exponential technologies and how to apply them in their organizations.
Graduate Studies Program (GSP): This is SU’s flagship program, intensive and multidisciplinary, bringing together participants from all over the world to work on projects that address global challenges using exponential technologies.
Programs for Young People (Global Student Program – GSP): Programs designed for university students and young professionals to introduce them to the world of exponential technologies and foster their interest in innovation and entrepreneurship.
Online Programs: SU also offers online courses and resources to reach a global audience and democratize access to education on exponential technologies.
Global Impact Programs: Specific programs designed to address challenges in particular regions of the world.
Teaching Methodology:
SU uses an innovative teaching methodology that combines:
Masterclasses and lectures: Delivered by experts in various areas of exponential technologies.
Practical workshops: To apply theoretical knowledge to solving real-world problems.
Team projects: To encourage collaboration and multidisciplinary work.
Visits to companies and research centers: To learn firsthand about the latest technological innovations.
Impact and Reach:
Singularity University has had a significant impact in promoting thinking about the future and the use of exponential technologies to solve global problems. Its graduates have founded numerous companies and organizations working in areas such as health, energy, food, education, and the environment. Singularity University is much more than a traditional educational institution. It is a think tank, an incubator of ideas, and a global community dedicated to innovation and developing solutions to humanity’s grand challenges through exponential technologies.
