Effective accelerationism

Effective accelerationism, often abbreviated as "e/acc", is a 21st-century philosophical movement that advocates for an explicitly pro-technology stance. Its proponents believe that unrestricted technological progress (especially driven by artificial intelligence) is a solution to universal human problems like poverty, war and climate change.^[2] They see themselves as a counterweight to more cautious views on technological innovation, often giving their opponents the derogatory labels of "doomers" or "decels" (short for deceleration).^[2][3]

The movement carries utopian undertones and argues that humans need to develop and build faster to ensure their survival and propagate consciousness throughout the universe.^[4] Its founders Guillaume Verdon and the pseudonymous Bayeslord see it as a way to "usher in the next evolution of consciousness, creating unthinkable next-generation lifeforms."^[5]

Although effective accelerationism has been described as a fringe movement, it has gained mainstream visibility in 2023.^[5][6] A number of high-profile Silicon Valley figures, including investors Marc Andreessen and Garry Tan explicitly endorsed it by adding "e/acc" to their public social media profiles.^[5][6]