The Most Dangerous Side Effect of AI
January 23, 2026
Yesterday I gave two presentations based on my latest book, and much of what I shared was grounded in Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning. Frankl’s central insight, formed in the most extreme human conditions, was that people can survive extraordinary suffering if they believe their lives still have meaning. What he discovered, however, was that meaning is not primarily rooted in happiness, comfort, or even professional success. Meaning is chosen, but the meanings that sustain people most deeply are almost always chosen in the direction of responsibility for others.
One of the most powerful examples Frankl gives involves people who fell into deep depression after losing their jobs. At first, it appeared that the loss of income or professional identity was the cause. But when these individuals were placed in volunteer roles, helping in hospitals or community organizations, their despair often lifted.
