Building Freedom Machines: Why Build Systems That Matter
A personal reflection on building autonomous systems that free human potential and enable meaningful connection rather than just chasing efficiency
Last week, I launched an autonomous system.
The questions came flooding in immediately. What’s the efficiency gain? How much cost does it save? What’s the ROI? Monetization and ROI matter, but they don’t tell the whole story.
You see, while building this system, I started questioning why I was really doing it.
Beyond Efficiency
None of us wake up excited to do repetitive tasks. No child dreams of updating spreadsheets. Yet millions spend their days doing exactly these things, not because we want to, but because that’s how our current systems work.
When we automate routine tasks, we’re not just creating efficiency—we’re creating space. Space for each of us to explore what interests us.
Rethinking Automation
When we talk about AI and autonomous systems, our conversations often center around replacement. “This AI can do the work of X humans.” But there’s another way to look at it.
What if autonomous systems aren’t about replacement, but about liberation? Each system that can generate and distribute value independently opens another opportunity to explore what makes us uniquely human.
The Metrics That Actually Matter
In tech, we’re obsessed with metrics. Performance indicators. Efficiency gains. ROI calculations. But what if we measured success differently? What if our metrics focused on how many humans we’ve freed to pursue meaningful work, how much genuine connection we’ve enabled, and how much stronger we’ve made our social fabric?
Think about the last time you felt truly fulfilled. I bet it wasn’t after completing a routine task. It was probably when you helped someone overcome a challenging problem, or when you built something that made people’s lives better. Maybe it was when you connected with others in meaningful ways or solved a problem that actually mattered. That’s where real value lives—in those moments of genuine human connection and meaningful creation.
Questions Worth Exploring
When building systems, we might ask: Will this create more space for human connection? Could it strengthen how we relate to each other? Might it free people to explore their interests?
These questions can transform how we think about technology. We’re not just building automation—we’re building possibility.
Tools and Evolution
Our tools keep evolving. Mechanical systems gave way to digital platforms, which are now giving way to autonomous networks. Whatever comes next will be different from what we imagine. But perhaps the core question remains: How can we build systems that enhance our humanity rather than diminish it?
What Are You Building?
The possibilities are endless. Every automated task creates space for human creativity and connection.
That’s what makes technology exciting—not the metrics or cost savings, but the possibilities it opens up. What will you create with that space? What possibilities will you unlock?
Your ideas matter. What are you building next?
Let’s build.