Founders' Journey - Episode 119
We Don’t Need a Jihad on AI
From digital dystopias to Web3 and AI progress, here's what the week looked like behind the scenes in my world.
🧩 Don’t Blame the Tool: Why Calls to Ban AI Miss the Bigger Picture
There’s a video making the rounds this week, part cultural critique, part sci-fi sermon (which makes sense given it's channel about internet culture and politics), but what sparked my interest was the arguments it had against artificial intelligence. It spoke about AI destroying humanity’s ability to think and framed through the lens of Dune and the idea of a Butlerian Jihad, it paints a picture where AI becomes the ultimate enabler of laziness and the enemy of critical thinking.
The proposed solution? Ban recreational AI. Restrict it to professionals. Smash the machines before they replace us. Yikes!
I'll tell you what, it’s dramatic, impassioned, and most importantly, it completely misses the point.
To me, AI, like any technology, reflects how we use it, which can be good or bad. We can point fingers at students using ChatGPT to cheat (as the podcast does), or content creators churning out low-quality fluff. But the answer isn’t prohibition, it’s preparation.
Put it this way, AI isn’t making us dumb, but avoiding change is.
Here’s what I think we need instead:
AI fluency in education, not bans
Frameworks for ethical use, not digital gatekeeping
Access for all, not just elite professionals
And most importantly: guidance on how to use AI as a thought partner, not a shortcut
The real threat isn’t the tool, it’s our unwillingness to teach people how to use it well.
So no, we don’t need a modern-day Jihad on AI. What we need is digital literacy, open access, and a culture that embraces responsible innovation.
Here's the video in question:
🔧 This Week in the Build Room
While some debate whether AI is dangerous, we’ve been continuing to put it to work in meaningful, responsible ways at NotCentralised and sike.ai.
We’re building and refining a suite of AI tools tailored to clients — from private knowledge assistants to streamlined document workflows and even tenders and RFP-readiness audits. The adoption pace is quickening, and businesses are waking up to the need not just to have AI, but to use it well.
This brings me back to the point... it’s not the model, it’s the mindset and execution.
🏦 Watching Project Acacia Closely
There’s real excitement brewing across the team as we await the official announcement of participants in the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Project Acacia pilot, a significant step forward for institutional tokenisation in Australia.
There was even an update by the Digital Finance CRC here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/digital-finance-crc_an-update-on-our-joint-research-initiative-activity-7327822397552627713-xRV0?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAV7RT0Bf0fJj7zr6JDyM7Fh2-KhNgJf4dk
This isn’t just about proving tech for tech’s sake. This is about rethinking how capital markets operate at a foundational level and whoever gets named in the list of pilot projects, we know that infrastructure-first approaches with real utility, finality, and compliance in mind are aligned with where the puck is headed.
🎙️ Redbelly Insights Ep.3 – Real Talk with Blubird
This week’s episode of Redbelly Insights dropped, and I had the pleasure of sitting down with Corey Billington, founder of Blubird — a platform quietly changing how Web3 investors and startup founders handle compliance, reporting, and capital raises.
It was a refreshingly honest conversation — no hype, just practical tools being built for real needs. Corey talks about how simplifying deal structuring and access to data is what will help Web3 startups grow faster and survive longer.
🎧 If you haven’t listened yet, [Redbelly Insights Ep.3 is live here] on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/redbelly-network_redbelly-insights-episode-3-inside-stories-activity-7327533658477658113-_rnI?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAV7RT0Bf0fJj7zr6JDyM7Fh2-KhNgJf4dk
Twitter: https://x.com/RedbellyNetwork/status/1922804209138765865
YouTube:
AI gets serious with Digital Nexus
Another week, another podcast with my buddy and fellow AI builder 🤖 Chris Sinclair. We dived deep into research showing folks are either not getting value out of AI which makes us think that there are many opportunities there to get the right sort of training in place.
As mentioned above, it's a tool, and it's the same as if you use a hammer wrong, you'll get bent nails.
We also saw reports showing how far down the spectrum, Australia is on AI innovation and adoption. Sad, but very much true.
Just on those 2 things, if that isn't opportunity, I don't know what is.
Watch more here on YouTube:
🛫 Logging Off (Temporarily) — Canberra Bound
And finally, after a packed month of sprints, demos, and deal discussions, I’m sneaking away to Canberra for the weekend — taking some much-needed time to reset and recharge.
No pitch decks. No prompts. Just some nice time away and probably a few stolen moments reading Children of Dune.
Until next time — stay sharp, stay curious, and don’t hand your thinking over to the machine. Guide it.
— Mark