On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything

by Nate Silver

Agency is a term I just defined in the last chapter, so I’ll repeat that definition here: it refers not merely to having options but having good options where the costs and benefits are transparent, don’t require overcoming an undue amount of friction, and don’t risk entrapping you in an addictive spiral. The concept of agency is pertinent in AI research; OpenAI describes an agentic AI system as one “that can adaptably achieve complex goals in complex environments with limited direct supervision.” The definition applies nicely to human beings, too. Liberté is necessary and vital. But perhaps it’s no longer sufficient for our complex environments and complex goals. We need to give people real choices, well-informed choices that don’t require too much supervision or hand-holding. Endowing people with agency involves a certain amount of humility. Don’t presume we know what people’s preferences are—and give people room to evolve and adapt, because surely they will.