Source: Fortune
Summary
The rise of social media and influencer culture has led to a decline in trust in online information, with many people seeking authority and expertise. The author, who created a viral internet newsletter in the 1990s, argues that the internet has become a place where “power comes not from wealth, but from thought.” However, the proliferation of AI-generated content has further eroded trust, leading to a renewed emphasis on credentialed professionals and original, hard-won knowledge.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
The influencer economy has given way to an era of expertise, where credentialed professionals are increasingly valued over charismatic personalities. The rise of AI has accelerated this shift, making it possible for experts to scale their knowledge and connect with audiences in new ways. Dr. Becky Kennedy’s success with her Good Inside platform, which combines human expertise with AI, is a prime example of this trend. The author argues that this shift marks a return to a time when “power comes not from wealth, but from thought.”
The strategy enters a familiar phase: the pursuit of trust and credibility in a digital landscape.
Expertise is becoming the scarcest resource online.
The wheel is turning back toward expertise.
In this new era, the value of genuine, verifiable wisdom skyrockets.
The author’s observation: “We are moving out of an era where technology rewarded those who captured the most attention, and into an era where technology scales those who hold the deepest knowledge.”
Author: Evan Null
