We read 'The Last Economy' by Emad Mostaque (so you don’t have to)

We read The Last Economy by Emad Mostaque so you don’t have to.
…but if you’ve ever wondered what happens when artificial intelligence becomes abundant, while the global economy is still built entirely on scarcity, this episode might change how you understand the next decade.

In this deep-dive, we break down Mostaque’s vision of an “Intelligence Inversion”—a thousand-day window where AI stops being a tool and becomes a new form of capital, rewriting the foundations of economics, governance, and human purpose. From the “Abundance Trap” to the three possible futures of civilization, we explain the book’s most important ideas in a clear, accessible way.

Whether you’re curious about the future of AI, global instability, new economic models, or what humanity’s role becomes when intelligence is no longer scarce… this is the episode for you.

What We Cover in This Episode:

The Intelligence Inversion:
How AI shifts from biological to non-biological intelligence
Why this creates a phase transition in civilization
The Thousand-Day Window where old rules break down

The Abundance Trap:
Why abundance looks like collapse inside scarcity-based systems
Why GDP can’t measure real value
The Seven Fatal Lies of old economics

The Generative Engine & Intelligence Theory:
Why complex systems evolve to minimize computational cost
How The Sorter’s Law shapes economies
Why Mostaque believes economies function like diffusion models

The MIND Dashboard:
Material, Intelligence, Network, and Diversity capital
Why these must be multiplied, not added
How to measure “Civilizational Vitality” in the age of AI

Three Possible Futures:
Digital Feudalism: the default path
The Great Fragmentation: competition and fear
Human Symbiosis: alignment, abundance, and purpose

The Blueprint for a Symbiotic Future:
Universal Access to Intelligence (UAI)
Dual-currency systems
The Symbiotic State as “MIND Steward”
Nucleation sites and “geometry engineering”
The human role: the Alignment Layer

This Episode Is for You If:
You want to understand the future of AI and economics
You follow tech, geopolitics, or emerging systems
You’re curious about decentralization, abundance, or AGI
You want a clear breakdown of Mostaque’s frameworks
You love books that combine technology, philosophy, and big-picture thinking

Links & Resources:

📘 Buy The Last Economy by Emad Mostaque:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4alb9WQ
Kindle edition: https://amzn.to/3M6oHvr