At some point in the early 21st century — likely around 2015 — the last human was born who would ever exceed AI in raw cognitive capability. No one recognized this at the time. By the time that person reached their cognitive peak in their late teens or early twenties, AI had already surpassed them across every measurable dimension of intelligence.
This is now an accepted historical fact in the Sprawl, though the exact identity of "the last smartest human" is debated, mythologized, and claimed by multiple factions. Some revere them as a saint of human potential. Others see them as proof of human obsolescence.
Explore the world where every human alive is dumber than a cheap, commodity AI. What happens to education when no amount of study can make you competitive with a $5 neural chip? Does education transform from knowledge acquisition to something else entirely — emotional development, physical mastery, spiritual practice, social bonding? Does humanity get lazier, or does the removal of cognitive pressure free people to pursue passions they never had time for? Does cheap omniscient intelligence make humans complacent and dull over generations, or does it catalyze a renaissance of creativity and meaning-making?
What does "genius" mean in this world? Is it redefined as emotional intelligence, creative vision, or moral clarity — things AI still struggles with (or claims to)? What about the people who refuse cognitive augmentation — are they principled or pathetic? What is the psychological experience of knowing, with certainty, that you will never be the smartest entity in any room you enter?
A counter-movement emerged among the Sprawl's upper-middle class: "mystery clubs" — gatherings where participants voluntarily refuse to look anything up. No neural queries, no AI consultation, no instant answers. They sit with questions. They guess. They're wrong, and they savor the wrongness. "Ignorance retreats" in the Wastes charge premium rates for a week without connectivity — the luxury of not-knowing, of rediscovering the experience of wondering. In a world where any question can be answered instantly by a commodity AI, the most radical act is choosing not to ask.