On AI's transformation of the economy. Signed, in a personal capacity, by 200 people who could agree on this much and no more.
Two hundred of them. Ask yourself: how do you get two hundred brilliant, opinionated, mutually citation-warring people to agree on anything? You can't — until you delete every sentence with an edge. What's left is the truism. The length of the list is inversely proportional to the courage of the claim.
Acting Committee Member, Institute for the Obvious
Ex-Officio Closing-Remarks Deliverer, Department of Retrospective Foresight
Ex-Officio Position-Paper Poet, The Nuance Foundry*
Perennial Caucus Enthusiast, The Consensus Lab
Adjunct Doomsayer, Bureau of Broad Agreement
Discussant, Center for Studying the Problem
Roving Convener of Conveners, Center for Applied Hand-Wringing
Visiting Task-Force Volunteer, Foundation for Doing Something
Global Committee Member, Institute for Agreeable Statements
Junior Rapporteur, Working Group on Working Groups*
Founding Serial Panelist, Center for Consensus Maintenance
Honorary Consensus Enjoyer, Center for Motion Without Movement
Global Nuance Merchant, Institute for Strategic Nodding
Global Op-Ed Machine, Center for Directionally Correct Thinking
Perennial Op-Ed Machine, The Symposium Trust*
Nuance Merchant, School of Hedged Bets
Emeritus Prestige Economist, Society of Standing Committees
Substack Cassandra, Academy of Second Thoughts
Chief Closing-Remarks Deliverer, Center for the Bare Minimum
Tenured Overton Window Washer, The Manifesto Mill
Perennial Vibes Economist, Center for Load-Bearing Adverbs
Interim Fellow Traveler, The Overton Foundation
Honorary Roadmap Gesturer, Center for Whom It May Concern
Global Second-Author Specialist, The Steering Foundation
Visiting Committee Member, Bureau of Later
Honorary Closing-Remarks Deliverer, The Truism Institute*
Junior Discussant, Institute for the Study of Institutes
Junior Convener of Conveners, Committee to Form a Committee
Provisional Serial Panelist, The Panel Foundation
Chief Vibes Economist, Bureau of Strong Feelings
Adjunct Caucus Enthusiast, Center for Governance-Shaped Objects
Interim Second-Author Specialist, Office of Plausible Deniability
Junior Applied Hand-Waver, Institute for Later Discussion
Interim Portfolio Worrier, Center for Concern
Adjunct Closing-Remarks Deliverer, Center for the Almost-Specific
Ex-Officio Panel Moderator, Institute for Nodding Along
Acting Prestige Economist, The Roadmap Collective
Acting Davos Regular, Council of Vague Alarm
Tenured Manifesto Signee, Bureau of Meaningful Nods
Acting Existential Middle Manager, Department of Vague Urgency
Senior Rapporteur, Institute of Perpetual Preliminaries
Interim Convener of Conveners, School of Somewhere
Honorary Committee Member, Center for Unfalsifiable Studies
Tenured Ethics-Adjacent Fellow, The Caveat Institute
Deputy Futures Gesturer, The Hedge Fund of Ideas
Distinguished Podcast Sage, Institute of Mixed Feelings
Committee Member, Office of Broad Strokes
Deputy Working Group Chair, Center for Emergent Consensus
Interim Task-Force Volunteer, Faculty of Foregone Conclusions
Adjunct Serial Panelist, The Blue Ribbon Bureau*
Acting Applied Hand-Waver, Institute for the Obvious
Ex-Officio Discussant, Department of Retrospective Foresight
Adjunct Load-Bearing Adverb Specialist, The Nuance Foundry
Ethics-Adjacent Fellow, The Consensus Lab
Roving Whitepaper Author, Bureau of Broad Agreement
Provisional Thought Leader, Center for Studying the Problem
Perennial Byline Accumulator, Center for Applied Hand-Wringing
Interim Breakout-Room Facilitator, Foundation for Doing Something
Visiting Prestige Economist, Institute for Agreeable Statements*
Provisional Caveat Officer, Working Group on Working Groups
Junior Prophet of the Obvious, Center for Consensus Maintenance
Junior Overton Window Washer, Center for Motion Without Movement
Provisional Institute Founder, Institute for Strategic Nodding
Acting Byline Accumulator, Center for Directionally Correct Thinking
Global Futures Gesturer, The Symposium Trust*
Visiting Whitepaper Author, School of Hedged Bets
Visiting Fellow Traveler, Society of Standing Committees
Visiting Convener of Conveners, Academy of Second Thoughts
Visiting Closing-Remarks Deliverer, Center for the Bare Minimum
Honorary Caveat Officer, The Manifesto Mill*
Senior Prestige Economist, Center for Load-Bearing Adverbs
Founding Roundtable Regular, The Overton Foundation
Deputy Vibes Economist, Center for Whom It May Concern
Junior Provisional Optimist, The Steering Foundation
Ex-Officio Task-Force Volunteer, Bureau of Later*
Emeritus Existential Middle Manager, The Truism Institute*
Visiting Both-Sidesist, Institute for the Study of Institutes
Global Task-Force Volunteer, Committee to Form a Committee
Deputy Alignment Tourist, The Panel Foundation*
Global Prestige Economist, Bureau of Strong Feelings
Chief Roadmap Gesturer, Center for Governance-Shaped Objects
Emeritus Prophet of the Obvious, Office of Plausible Deniability
Adjunct Nuance Merchant, Institute for Later Discussion
Deputy Roundtable Regular, Center for Concern
Tenured Whitepaper Author, Center for the Almost-Specific
Adjunct Convener of Conveners, Institute for Nodding Along
Acting Professional Worrier, The Roadmap Collective
Visiting Existential Middle Manager, Council of Vague Alarm
Regional Position-Paper Poet, Bureau of Meaningful Nods
Roving Existential Middle Manager, Department of Vague Urgency
Deputy Caucus Enthusiast, Institute of Perpetual Preliminaries
Provisional Discussant, School of Somewhere
Roving Grant-Cycle Survivor, Center for Unfalsifiable Studies
Chief Existential Middle Manager, The Caveat Institute
Tenured Hand-Wringer, The Hedge Fund of Ideas
Visiting Second-Author Specialist, Institute of Mixed Feelings
Regional Caucus Enthusiast, Office of Broad Strokes
Honorary Professional Worrier, Center for Emergent Consensus
Overton Window Washer, Faculty of Foregone Conclusions
Associate Reply-All Statesman, The Blue Ribbon Bureau
Emeritus Discussant, Institute for the Obvious
Perennial Task-Force Volunteer, Department of Retrospective Foresight
Perennial Breakout-Room Facilitator, The Nuance Foundry
Deputy Professional Worrier, The Consensus Lab
Visiting Working Group Chair, Bureau of Broad Agreement
Regional Both-Sidesist, Center for Studying the Problem
Rapporteur, Center for Applied Hand-Wringing
Honorary Davos Regular, Foundation for Doing Something
Emeritus Panel Moderator, Institute for Agreeable Statements
Roving Prophet of the Obvious, Working Group on Working Groups
Deputy Manifesto Signee, Center for Consensus Maintenance*
Regional Stakeholder Convener, Center for Motion Without Movement
Futures Gesturer, Institute for Strategic Nodding
Tenured Reply-All Statesman, Center for Directionally Correct Thinking
Honorary Academic Navelgazer, The Symposium Trust
Junior Center Director, School of Hedged Bets
Adjunct Stakeholder Convener, Society of Standing Committees
Chief Grant-Cycle Survivor, Academy of Second Thoughts
Ex-Officio Hand-Wringer, Center for the Bare Minimum
Chief Substack Cassandra, The Manifesto Mill
Emeritus Rapporteur, Center for Load-Bearing Adverbs
Roadmap Gesturer, The Overton Foundation
Chief Task-Force Volunteer, Center for Whom It May Concern
Adjunct Provisional Optimist, The Steering Foundation
Interim Whitepaper Author, Bureau of Later
Interim Substack Cassandra, The Truism Institute
Deputy Symposium Frequent Flyer, Institute for the Study of Institutes*
Provisional Committee Member, Committee to Form a Committee
Chief Hedged Bettor, The Panel Foundation
Perennial Institute Founder, Bureau of Strong Feelings
Roving Podcast Sage, Center for Governance-Shaped Objects
Regional Nuance Merchant, Office of Plausible Deniability
Tenured Prophet of the Obvious, Institute for Later Discussion
Senior Center Director, Center for Concern
Founding Fellow Traveler, Center for the Almost-Specific
Ex-Officio Caveat Officer, Institute for Nodding Along
Junior Serial Panelist, The Roadmap Collective
Roving Doomsayer, Council of Vague Alarm
Provisional Convener of Conveners, Bureau of Meaningful Nods
Panel Moderator, Department of Vague Urgency
Distinguished Academic Navelgazer, Institute of Perpetual Preliminaries
Chief Stakeholder Convener, School of Somewhere
Roving Reply-All Statesman, Center for Unfalsifiable Studies
Emeritus Standing Nodder, The Caveat Institute
Junior Concern Curator, The Hedge Fund of Ideas*
Regional Prestige Economist, Institute of Mixed Feelings
Perennial Alignment Tourist, Office of Broad Strokes
Ex-Officio Davos Regular, Center for Emergent Consensus*
Senior Convener of Conveners, Faculty of Foregone Conclusions*
Honorary Reply-All Statesman, The Blue Ribbon Bureau
Junior Institute Founder, Institute for the Obvious
Acting Center Director, Department of Retrospective Foresight
Distinguished Overton Window Washer, The Nuance Foundry
Chief Podcast Sage, The Consensus Lab
Senior Task-Force Volunteer, Bureau of Broad Agreement
Ex-Officio Working Group Chair, Center for Studying the Problem
Interim Symposium Frequent Flyer, Center for Applied Hand-Wringing
Provisional Roundtable Regular, Foundation for Doing Something
Roving Serial Panelist, Institute for Agreeable Statements
Junior Position-Paper Poet, Working Group on Working Groups*
Founding Preprint Uploader, Center for Consensus Maintenance
Junior Substack Cassandra, Center for Motion Without Movement
Roving Roundtable Regular, Institute for Strategic Nodding
Interim Serial Panelist, Center for Directionally Correct Thinking*
Deputy Hedged Bettor, The Symposium Trust
Consensus Whisperer, School of Hedged Bets
Founding Position-Paper Poet, Society of Standing Committees
Adjunct Committee Member, Academy of Second Thoughts
Provisional Standing Nodder, Center for the Bare Minimum
Honorary Preprint Uploader, The Manifesto Mill*
Ex-Officio Both-Sidesist, Center for Load-Bearing Adverbs
Tenured Framework Proposer, The Overton Foundation
Perennial Steering-Committee Steerer, Center for Whom It May Concern
Junior Caveat Officer, The Steering Foundation
Interim Nuance Merchant, Bureau of Later
Acting Closing-Remarks Deliverer, The Truism Institute
Tenured Panel Moderator, Institute for the Study of Institutes
Perennial Consensus Enjoyer, Committee to Form a Committee
Perennial Futures Gesturer, The Panel Foundation*
Interim Preprint Uploader, Bureau of Strong Feelings*
Chief Nuance Merchant, Center for Governance-Shaped Objects*
Associate Academic Navelgazer, Office of Plausible Deniability
Deputy Panel Moderator, Institute for Later Discussion
Global Ethics-Adjacent Fellow, Center for Concern
Perennial Reply-All Statesman, Center for the Almost-Specific*
Associate Doomsayer, Institute for Nodding Along
Deputy Podcast Sage, The Roadmap Collective
Interim Roadmap Gesturer, Council of Vague Alarm
Regional Substack Cassandra, Bureau of Meaningful Nods
Adjunct Preprint Uploader, Department of Vague Urgency
Emeritus Manifesto Signee, Institute of Perpetual Preliminaries
Founding Committee Member, School of Somewhere
Ex-Officio Manifesto Signee, Center for Unfalsifiable Studies
Senior Professional Worrier, The Caveat Institute
Roving Portfolio Worrier, The Hedge Fund of Ideas
Founding Panel Moderator, Institute of Mixed Feelings*
Visiting Roadmap Gesturer, Office of Broad Strokes
Acting Prophet of the Obvious, Center for Emergent Consensus
Perennial Load-Bearing Adverb Specialist, Faculty of Foregone Conclusions
Acting Doomsayer, The Blue Ribbon Bureau
* Signed in a personal capacity, obviously. Institutional endorsement would require a meeting, and the meeting would require an agenda, and the agenda is what we're trying to avoid.
Go ahead. Read the three points again. Try to disagree with one.
You can't, really. AI could be big. It might happen fast. Someone probably should do something. Every clause is true, or true enough, or unfalsifiable in the friendly way that a horoscope is unfalsifiable. And that is precisely the problem.
This isn't wrong. It's Not Even a Plan.
Karl Popper had a phrase for a claim so slippery it can never be tested against reality: not even wrong. A theory that predicts everything predicts nothing. This is the governance cousin of that. A statement you cannot argue with is a statement that asks nothing of you — no target, no threshold, no trade-off, no one on the hook for anything by any date.
Distilled, all three bullets say the same thing:
"AI will be a big deal. We should study it and do something smart."
Which is not a position. It's the residue — the last sentence left standing after every specific claim got edited out because someone, somewhere, objected to it. It reads exactly like the final line of a long email chain: the one clause that survived because it was the only thing no one could bring themselves to reply-all against.
And you can tell how it was written by looking at who signed it.