Turbulence Ahead: Business in the Age of AI and Authoritarian Shifts
We are at a critical inflection point—not a gentle slope, but a leap.
– 3 min read
Turbulence Ahead: Business in the Age of AI and Authoritarian Shifts
A seismic shift is unfolding in the U.S.—one that reshapes language, symbols, and perhaps our economic trajectory. On September 5, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order authorizing the rebranding of the Department of Defense as the Department of War, complete with a transition of Pentagon’s online presence from Defense.gov to War.gov and updated social media channels.
Trump signs executive order rebranding Pentagon as Department of War
Directive will make Department of War secondary title and is way to get around need for congressional approval
Joseph Gedeon
Although “Department of Defence” remains the only legal title—since only Congress can formalize a renaming—the symbolic intent is clear WIREDThe GuardianWikipedia. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called it a cultural reset: “We’re going on offense, not just defense. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct”.
This framing shift—from “defence” to “war”—signals a more assertive posture that could ripple well beyond D.C.: entering National Guards into states, rumours of states of emergency, and a climate appetizing for sweeping socio-economic transformations.
The Economic Tsunami Arrives
At the same time, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is accelerating. We’re entering a new era of digitized and biotech-powered business:
| Domain | Emerging Example |
|---|---|
| Education | AI tutors like Khanmigo and ChatGPT Edu piloting immersive, personalized learning |
| Healthcare | AI diagnostics approved for radiology and telemedicine; virtual health assistants on the rise |
| Finance | Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) in pilot across markets; FedNow advancing digital payments |
| Infrastructure | Smart cities adopting platforms like Palantir for data, surveillance, and urban management |
| Workforce | Jobs shifting from manual roles to AI supervision, data oversight, and digitized strategy |
These forces are converging, not sequential—but all at once.
What This Means for Business & Jobs
- Education: Every child may soon have an AI-powered tutor that tailors learning dynamically—reshaping the role of teachers.
- Healthcare: Patients may increasingly turn to AI doctors for diagnostics, triage, and even treatment recommendations.
- Currency & Transactions: As money becomes digital—through cryptocurrencies, CBDCs, and real-time payments—it will redefine not just how we pay, but who controls the transaction.
- Data & Authority: Tech like Palantir gives governments unprecedented visibility into city operations—blurring lines between governance, surveillance, and corporate control.
- Civic Institutions: Even democracy isn’t immune. Rising militarization, surveillance, and the erosion of “the Republic” are under way.
A Compass for Leaders
We are at a critical inflection point—not a gentle slope, but a leap. Evolution moves in fits and starts: contractions, extensions, and sudden jumps. Recognizing this leap’s magnitude today helps us not just survive, but lead ahead of it.
Let’s reframe the question: beyond reacting to chaos, how do we architect resilience, agency, and sustainable innovation?
Re-framing Industry Examples:
Large scale implementation in logistics and business structures re-frame the world of today:
- Retail: Walmart and Amazon rolling out AI logistics that cut jobs but double throughput.
- Manufacturing: Digital twins in Siemens factories reducing prototyping time by 40%.
- Professional Services: PwC and EY piloting AI auditors for compliance review.
- Energy: AI-driven grid balancing already live in parts of Europe and Texas.
Written by
Founder of Seeing Beyond, a research initiative focused on spiritual science, living cognition, and the threshold experiences of modern life.
Here we weave together field inquiry, philosophical clarity, and a reverence for the real.
