Slide deck from the June 17, 2026 New Nature talk. Covers the Humboldt parallel, the Evil Twins Thesis (AI vs Protocols), the three-circle Venn diagram of AI/Protocols/Planetary, PI's Context Tank positioning, and the Special Interest Group research model.
An edited essay version of a June 2026 talk unpacking the Protocol Institute's core thesis: New Nature = AI and Protocols entangled at planetary scale. Develops the Humboldt analogy, the Evil Twins Thesis (AI as irresistible force, protocols as immovable objects), the three-circle Venn of AI/Protocols/Planetary, and PI's positioning as a Context Tank in the priceless-planetary quadrant.
Venkatesh Rao
The speaker outlines the genesis of Summer of Protocols, explaining how initial questions about Ethereum's governance and evolution revealed a broader gap in understanding protocols across disciplines. The initiative brings together researchers from diverse backgrounds to collaboratively develop a theory of protocols and increase protocol literacy through an intensive summer program.
Speaker 1, Venet
The Protocol Symposium 2026 officially launches with parallel workshops and 50+ talks exploring how AI and protocols are reshaping planetary conditions under the theme 'New Nature.' The event brings together researchers and practitioners to investigate the emerging technological landscape governed by novel rules at the intersection of artificial intelligence and protocol science.
Venkatesh Rao