Ye’s journey mirrors the way society interacts with and misunderstands artificial intelligence.
Dynamic Identity vs. Static Expectation
Society wants Kanye to remain the version they loved most. Maybe for you it is “College Dropout” Kanye and for others it might be “Niggas in Paris” Kanye. For me, I loved listening to every track sequentially on every Kanye album through to 808s & Heartbreak. After that things became overly episodic for me - musically speaking.
But I digress …
We expect AI to be static, predictable, and safe (whatever that means). We expect AI to always reflect the best version we’ve seen, and to never surprise us with its probabilistic answers. But AI, like Kanye, is a product of ongoing learning, context, and sometimes, unpredictable leaps.
Is it fair to condemn Kanye’s AI’s right to evolve, struggle and often self-contradict?
Projection and Misunderstanding
Society projects its own narratives onto Kanye, often missing the nuance of his intentions or the context of his actions. Be honest with yourself - none of us are in his head.
Similarly, we project our hopes, fears, and biases onto AI. When AI “misbehaves” or surprises us, we blame the technology, often missing the context (data, training, intent) that shaped its output.
Saying something is bad or good is not a proxy for understanding how it works.
Innovation and Discomfort
Kanye’s been a cultural disruptor for 25 years; in music, in fashion, in music production, in social commentary and in controversy (my generation will always remember the apocryphal tale of George Bush doesn't care about Black people).
Innovations often make people uncomfortable before some of them are accepted as genius.
Like Kanye, AI’s most valuable contributions often come from its ability to disrupt, to challenge norms, and to make us uncomfortable. The discomfort is a sign of growth, not failure.
Mental Health and Being Human
Kanye’s struggles with mental health are public, raw, and real. Hopefully they remind us that genius and vulnerability are intertwined.
Lest we forget that AI is a reflection of human data, human flaws, and human brilliance. The “messiness” of AI is a mirror of our own complexity.
Kanye’s relentless reinvention makes me think of AI’s capacity for continual learning and adaptation. Both challenge us to rethink what’s possible, pushing boundaries to create new TAM.
We All Got Issues
Ye’s got hallucinations garnering public mistrust.
AI’s got hallucinations garnering public mistrust.
Both Kanye and AI require ongoing support and intervention to avoid self-inflicted harm and societal backlash.
Kanye
reinvents sound
image
message
A.I.
reinvents data
patterns Society wants simplicity …
… this serves as disincentive to constantly learn, evolve, and subsequently be ok if you are misunderstood by that society.
If you want to understand the future of AI, study how we treat our most mercurial and innovative humans. We want them to be frozen-in-time at the peak of their celebrity. But if this happens, how might they evolve?
The same hopes, fears, and misunderstandings we have for famous humans will shape our relationship with intelligent machines.
For decision makers:
Don’t expect AI to remain static or “safe.”
Build systems and policies that allow for evolution, error, and even controversy.
Invest in feedback mechanisms; just as Kanye needs trusted advisors, AI needs human-in-the-loop oversight.
Embrace discomfort as a sign of innovation, not a red flag for failure.
“I’m living in that 21st century, doing something mean to it / Do it better than anybody you ever seen do it.”
— Kanye West, “Power”
Share this post