In June 2024, The Economist published an article discussing the trend of major AI laboratories recruiting philosophers. The piece highlights a shift in how these companies approach the development and ethical implications of their technologies.
Mikhail Epstein, a professor at Emory University in Atlanta, launched a blog titled Noocene: Thought as an Engine of Evolution on the Medium platform in late 2025. The blog is published in both English and Russian and explores the concept of the noocene.
The term noocene is derived from the concept of the noosphere, originally proposed by Vladimir Vernadsky. It serves as a conceptual alternative to the Anthropocene, a term that describes human impact on the environment.
The International Union of Geological Sciences officially rejected the proposal to establish the Anthropocene as a formal geological epoch in 2024. The term remains in use only as an informal designation for the current period.
