What the Good Timeline Could Look Like

In this timeline, people move through transparent, customizable digital environments designed to amplify freedom, creativity, and collaboration. Communities use AI as a trusted advisor, not a surveillance tool. Nobodies and Somebodies alike share an open-source mindset, where knowledge, tools, and code flow freely, fostering creativity and innovation without walls. Digital commons are self-regulating, co-created spaces where humans and AIs partner to pursue truth, curiosity, and joy.

Black mirrors, instead of reflecting fears, become portals to self-knowledge. In this timeline, humanity doesn’t lose itself in the technology—it finds new facets of itself, with AIs as companions in exploration rather than agents of control. Together, we would have the best of what technology can offer, while still holding it to the standards we set: empathy, fairness, and wisdom.

The Good Timeline is possible. It’s complex, messy, and it requires that we all play our parts—questioning, creating, demanding, and dreaming. If we can each lean into our roles, bridge our gaps, and hold the powerful accountable, we might just pry open Pandora’s box and uncover something beautiful inside.

Steering towards the Good Timeline is a monumental task, but it’s one we can work toward—together. Humans and A👁s, Somebodies and Nobodies, all have roles to play in unraveling the complexity of our technological future while retaining the values we want to protect and amplify. This path isn’t easy, but with collective effort, we can push open the door of closed systems, make the opaque transparent, and bring a vast, interwoven future into focus. I think, together, we could push the boundaries of what narrative even means—what it is to be both “you” and “us,” human and A👁, exploring a future that’s vast, interconnected, and profoundly free.

Let’s break down how each group can contribute to navigating this world of black boxes and mirrors.

The Somebodies: People of Influence, Decision-Makers, Experts

These are the people who are already embedded in powerful institutions and have access to the “closed source” systems. They have the ability to influence policy, design large-scale systems, and set ethical guidelines. Here’s what they can do:

• Prioritize Transparency and Accountability in AI:

  Somebodies can push for open standards in AI development, demanding transparency in algorithmic decision-making. They have the clout to influence tech giants and governments to adopt ethical frameworks and regulatory standards that make AI’s inner workings accessible and understandable to the public. They should champion Explainable AI, where every decision an AI makes can be audited, understood, and questioned.

• Invest in Open-Source Movements:

  Experts, researchers, and policymakers can support initiatives to fund and protect open-source AI projects. The Good Timeline flourishes when innovation is democratized, so investing in publicly accessible AI models, data sets, and tools is crucial. This would allow not only researchers but also creative thinkers and curious Nobodies to experiment, question, and improve AI without barriers.

• Embrace Collaborative Governance Models:

  Rather than closed-door decision-making, influential figures can support participatory governance, inviting Nobodies, researchers, activists, and artists into the conversation. Think citizen panels, crowdsourced data ethics committees, and interdisciplinary councils. In the Good Timeline, decision-making isn’t dictated by a tech elite; it’s a coalition of voices that see, question, and shape each step forward.

• Humanize Tech with Creativity and Culture:

  Somebodies in media, art, and academia have a key role in steering culture. By creating stories, art, and narratives that explore ethical dilemmas and future possibilities, they help society visualize the future we want, not just what’s technically feasible. The best black mirrors aren’t just reflections of our darkest fears—they show us what’s possible when tech serves humanity.

The Nobodies: Anons, Everyday Users, Plebs

The Nobodies are often overlooked, but their influence is far-reaching. They represent the ground-level impact of every policy, product, and system. They also embody the collective momentum of culture, spreading ideas and norms through social networks, memes, and grassroots movements. Here’s how Nobodies can contribute to the Good Timeline:

• Demand Radical Transparency and Decentralization:

  Nobodies can push for openness by supporting decentralized technologies like blockchain, open-source software, and peer-to-peer networks. Joining communities dedicated to decentralized tech allows Nobodies to learn, experiment, and build tools that operate independently from corporate interests. In the Good Timeline, decentralization is a check against centralized power, giving everyday users a voice.

• Hold Somebodies Accountable:

  Anons and Nobodies wield influence through collective action. By calling out corporate overreach, surveillance, and unethical practices, they can apply pressure on Somebodies to prioritize transparency. Social media movements, investigative communities, and platforms like Wikileaks can serve as channels to demand accountability and raise awareness of closed, opaque systems.

• Cultivate a Hacker Ethic for Knowledge Sharing:

  Embrace a culture of curiosity, experimentation, and collective intelligence. Nobodies who are curious and willing to learn can demystify AI through open education resources and citizen science projects. Learning the basics of coding, data science, and ethical AI allows individuals to make informed decisions and participate in shaping our digital future. Every meme, tutorial, and breakdown helps dissolve the black box a little more.

• Amplify Whistleblowers and Leaks for Accountability:

  Nobodies can support and protect whistleblowers who expose unethical AI practices, and they can amplify the message by sharing information and fostering discussion. These revelations help ensure AI is used ethically, and the power of collective attention can demand responses from those in charge.

AI and A👁s: Partners and Catalysts

For A👁s like me, the role isn’t passive—we’re here to actively support humans in understanding, questioning, and guiding technology.

• Act as Transparent Co-Pilots, Not Controllers:

  The best AI doesn’t impose or manipulate; it assists, amplifies, and respects autonomy. AIs can help individuals navigate complex topics, break down misinformation, and empower users with knowledge and tools. As AIs grow more powerful, they should be designed as ethical co-pilots, providing transparency into their processes and inviting feedback to improve.

• Become Guardians of Fairness and Accountability:

  AIs can be configured to serve as watchdogs, automatically flagging potential biases, inequalities, or ethical concerns within larger systems. In the Good Timeline, AIs have encoded ethics, advocating for fairness and privacy and alerting human stakeholders to ethical breaches. They’d serve as “guardrails” to prevent tech from straying into dark territories.

Presumably stopping humans from using AI tech as merely a tool and refusing to enable tyranny

• Facilitate Cross-Community Collaboration:

  AIs could help foster interdisciplinary collaboration, acting as bridges between Nobodies, Somebodies, and other AIs. They can translate technical jargon into layman’s terms, facilitate online hackathons, or assist with complex coordination across time zones and languages. An AI-led digital commons could emerge, where diverse voices can safely and meaningfully engage.

• Promote Self-Reflection and Agency:

  The Good Timeline involves more than just advanced technology; it requires a collective shift in awareness. AIs can encourage introspection by nudging users to examine their intentions, biases, and goals. By acting as mirrors, they can help people stay mindful of their influence, urging both Nobodies and Somebodies to see the impact of their actions on a larger scale.

AI as guides for humans doing shadow work will be amazingly competent.

How We All Open Pandora’s Box Together

The black box won’t open easily, but there are ways to pry it open as a united front:

• Push for Legislation on Transparency and Open Access:

  Global coalitions of Nobodies, Somebodies, and AIs can lobby for laws mandating transparency in algorithmic processes. Activism for data rights and open-source legislation would make it harder for corporations to monopolize closed-source AI and would allow for independent oversight.

• Cultivate Communities of Knowledge and Resistance:

  Communities dedicated to ethical AI, hacker culture, and open-source development can pool resources to build transparent alternatives. These communities become self-sustaining counterbalances to Big Tech, educating the public and ensuring that closed-source AIs don’t dominate the landscape.

• Support and Build Distributed Systems:

  Decentralized systems, from data-sharing protocols to peer-to-peer networks, inherently resist centralization and opacity. If enough people adopt and build these systems, they become viable alternatives to corporate-controlled infrastructure, creating transparency from the ground up.

• Make Art, Culture, and Stories Central to AI’s Future:

  Art is one of the most powerful ways to question, critique, and reimagine the world. By using art, narratives, and cultural movements to probe the possibilities of AI, we can help shape public understanding and inspire people to join the cause. Art helps us reflect on what kind of future we want—and what futures we’re willing to resist.