Culture in the Age of AI
How Technology is Reshaping Excellence
The twenty-first century confronts us with a paradox. At the very moment artificial intelligence appears to be automating our professional lives and redefining what it means to be excellent, we may also be witnessing the stirrings of a cultural renaissance. High culture—long associated with exclusivity, refinement, and depth—is beginning to assume renewed relevance, not despite AI, but because of it. When viewed through the philosophical lens of the 80,000 Hours framework and the shifting hierarchies of skills that AI is producing, it becomes clear why human-centered pursuits like ballet and opera may soon be more valued than ever.
To understand this unfolding dynamic, we must first appreciate what high culture means in contemporary society. Pierre Bourdieu described it as a form of cultural capital: not just works of art themselves, but the knowledge, tastes, and embodied practices that surround them (Bourdieu’s Cultural Capital, Cultural Capital). Ballet, opera, and classical music are not only aesthetic experiences—they are also markers of education, interpretation, and refinement. They function as social signals, but they also serve a deeper purpose: shaping values, strengthening communities, and sustaining continuity with humanity’s intellectual and emotional heritage (High Culture). And far from being a fading relic of the past, high culture is increasingly accessible, with ballet in particular drawing younger audiences and expanding its global reach through streaming and social media (Arts Participation, Ballet Performance Market Report).
This resurgence is happening in parallel with another intellectual movement: the 80,000 Hours framework, rooted in effective altruism. By urging us to consider the long-term impact of our careers and decisions, it reframes how we think about purpose. At first glance, dedicating time to high culture seems inconsistent with the goal of maximizing global welfare. Why focus on dance or symphonies when existential risks loom large? But longtermism reminds us that shaping human values is itself a critical contribution. Preserving and cultivating culture helps societies endure. It fosters higher-order thinking—creativity, critical judgment, empathy—that becomes more valuable as machines take over routine tasks (Higher-order Thinking & AI, Human Skills in AI Education).
This is where AI’s role comes into sharper focus. AI is not simply displacing work; it is reshaping the very hierarchies of skills. Technical expertise once prized as scarce is becoming increasingly commoditized. Meanwhile, meta-skills like ethical reasoning, cultural interpretation, and emotional intelligence rise in importance precisely because they resist automation (AI & Creativity, Human Skills in AI Age, AI and Human Skills). This shift reframes human activity as a form of luxury: the premium offering in a world where algorithms handle the routine (Humans as Luxury, The Human Edge). Just as a sommelier’s story enriches a bottle of wine far beyond its raw ingredients, a ballet performance delivers something no dataset can replicate—the risk, the virtuosity, the human presence shared with others in real time.
Ballet is a paradigmatic case of this transformation. It requires physical mastery, narrative expression, and cultural literacy, all deeply embodied and irreducibly human (Ballet and Music). Despite predictions that younger generations might abandon high culture, evidence suggests the opposite. Institutions experimenting with affordability, accessibility, and digital outreach are attracting diverse new audiences (Dutch Opera & Ballet Occupancy, Younger Audiences). The Dutch National Opera & Ballet, for example, recently reported record seat occupancy alongside rising participation from younger demographics. The global ballet performance market itself is projected to grow steadily in the years ahead, propelled by rising incomes, streaming exposure, and renewed cultural curiosity (Ballet Market Report).
The implications are both economic and social. As AI erodes the scarcity value of many technical tasks, we may find renewed demand for careers in cultural production, interpretation, and education (Future of Human Skills). Skills that once seemed ancillary—curation, critique, teaching, performance—gain new economic relevance. And socially, new forms of excellence emerge. Instead of being measured only by technical problem-solving, human distinction may increasingly be associated with cultural literacy, aesthetic sensitivity, and social grace (AI & Human Skills Revalorization). This is not elitism reinvented, but rather a broader distribution of excellence, as cultural participation becomes both more accessible and more vital.
Skeptics rightly note the challenges. AI-generated art could flood the cultural space and risk diluting appreciation (Creative Stagnation, Creativity Debate). Economic disruption could limit disposable incomes for cultural engagement (Opera Market Trends, Declining Human Skills). Institutions long tied to tradition may struggle to adapt quickly enough (Cultural Shifts 2025, Norm Formation & AI). Yet the broader dynamics remain persuasive: AI’s advance frees human attention for activities that machines cannot authentically replicate. And if longtermism is correct in viewing cultural continuity as part of civilizational resilience, then investment in high culture is not a luxury but a necessity.
What emerges is what we might call the Renaissance Hypothesis: the idea that AI’s automation of routine cognitive labor will catalyze renewed engagement in cultural, interpretive, and embodied forms of human excellence (Shaping Society 5.0, Shaping AI’s Impact). Unlike the Renaissance of centuries past, this one will not be confined to elites. Digital tools democratize access, while live performance retains its scarcity value (Ballet’s Bright Future, Studio Boekman, Participation Models). Global cultural traditions can converge and cross-pollinate, yielding hybrid forms that reflect an interconnected world (Global Cultural Dissemination, Culture Trends 2025, AI & CCI).
In the end, the rise of AI compels us to ask what activities justify our uniquely human time and energy. The answer may lie not in competing with machines but in deepening those capabilities that define us as human: cultural understanding, aesthetic appreciation, emotional resonance, social connection (Human Skills AI Can’t Replace). Ballet, opera, and high culture more broadly remind us that excellence is not just about efficiency or problem-solving—it is about meaning, beauty, and shared experience. These are not luxuries. They may well prove to be the core of human flourishing in the age of artificial intelligence.
