The philosopher Hegel said our understanding of the world progresses through [checks notes] “dialectical inversions.”

Sounds highfalutin, but it basically means our ideas about the world clash, merge, and often flip into their opposites.

Ancients were familiar with this concept, dubbing it “enantiodromia.”

It was the idea that there’s a balance in the Universe where things eventually turn into their opposites.

Now, if you want a modern-day illustration of this philosophical ballet, meet Barbenheimer.

It's the latest meme to set the internet alight…

All because two very different films -- one about Barbie, the icon of perfect plasticity, and the other about Oppenheimer, the architect of destruction -- are set to hit the screens on the same day, tomorrow, July 21.

Consider the perfectly contrasting plots.

Barbie, originally an icon of perfection and beauty, increasingly ponders over imperfection and “irrepressible thoughts of death.” (And, of course, the patriarchy.)

Oppenheimer, known for his contributions to destruction and death, explores the beauty of creation.

Barbie seeks defiance, Oppenheimer seeks redemption.

Barbie is plainly political, Oppenheimer is quietly spiritual.

Barbie is weaponized, Oppenheimer is humanized.

Barbenheimer.

Fat Little Man, Skinny Big Girl

The tales of their inception also bear striking contrasts.

In 1942, Oppenheimer was recruited to the Manhattan Project. His work led to the creation of “Little Boy” and “Fat Man” which were dropped on Japan.

About 20 years later, skinny “big girl” Barbie dolls were created primarily in Japan.

It took a small army of ten thousand Japanese workers to maintain inventory for Mattel’s World of Barbie, with its thirteen million fans.

Today, Oppenheimer is a cultural icon for his cautionary tale of unbridled technology…

And Barbie is increasingly seen (by some) as a culture war nuclear bomb.

The “story behind the story” however has to do with the death of the 20th century…

And the rise of something else entirely.

Digital Clones

Director Christopher Nolan expressed his concern over artificial intelligence, saying that AI researchers should take Oppenheimer’s story seriously.

He said:

"I talk to a lot of AI researchers these days, and right now, they see this moment in time as their Oppenheimer moment."

Some could say Nolan has a somewhat biased view on AI: He’s part of the writer’s guild that’s on strike.

But, he’s not entirely against it.

“What I find encouraging about the use of AI in the artistic realm,” he said, “is I think they're going to be powerful tools, but ultimately, there's no replacing human creativity.”

In other words…

While AI can make Johnny Cash sing Barbie Girl in the style of Folsom Prison, only a human could’ve conceived of that mash-up.

Though it’s hard to imagine how AI will change our lives, things are beginning to border on the edges of Black Mirror. 

Take, for example, the company called Delphi that allows you to talk to AI-generated “clones” of public figures.

Because I was running out of time, I only asked the Oppenheimer clone one question: 

“Can you share the thought process behind your infamous quote, ‘Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds,’ after the first successful test of the atomic bomb?”

Oppenheimer said:

“The quote, ‘Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds,’ is indeed one of the most poignant moments of my life. It was drawn from the Bhagavad-Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture, which I had been introduced to during my younger years. The verse resonated with me, not only for its poetic beauty but also for its profound depth.

The moment of the Trinity test, the first successful detonation of an atomic bomb, was a culmination of years of intense work, scientific breakthroughs, and personal sacrifices 3 . As the director of the Manhattan Project, I had staked everything on its success. The explosion, outshining the sun, was a testament to human ingenuity and the power of scientific discovery. Yet, it also bore the potential for unprecedented destruction.

In the face of such a paradox, the quote from the Bhagavad-Gita encapsulated the weight of the moment.”

While pretty impressive…

This doesn’t exactly feel like an “Oppenheimer Moment.”

But perhaps AI’s Trinity test is right around the corner.

Meanwhile, our eyes are wide open for investment opportunities in AI, and with surprising results.

More tomorrow.