On Earthquake

What is "On Earthquake" about?

Gilad argues that the current wave of artificial intelligence is not a typical technological improvement cycle that makes existing systems faster or cheaper, but a fundamental rewriting of the operating system of society, comparable to an earthquake rather than incremental innovation. He warns that many people and organizations are still preparing for and operating within the assumptions of the old world, unaware that the advantages, skills, and business models that mattered previously may shrink rapidly while new, unfamiliar opportunities emerge in unexpected places. The essay urges readers to actively question whether their current preparation, learning, and skill-building serve the old world or the new one, using the vivid image of 'feeding the horse' when one should be 'learning to fly a spaceship.' Gilad frames the appropriate response not as panic but as deliberate, immediate reorientation: identifying something new to learn, someone relevant to meet, a tool to master, a skill to build, a business model to study, and an outdated assumption to discard. He closes by noting that no one is fully ready for this shift, and that pretending otherwise—rather than admitting unpreparedness and beginning to adapt—is the real disadvantage.

In brief

What are the key takeaways?

1. 01Gilad frames the current AI shift as a fundamental rewrite of society's operating system, not an incremental improvement cycle.
2. 02Many people are still preparing for the old world's rules and advantages, which may be rapidly losing relevance.
3. 03Pretending to already be ready for the shift is the real disadvantage—admit unpreparedness and begin adapting now.