Performance Over Product: Rethinking Value in the AI Creative Economy

The AI creative economy is missing something critical: a shared unit of value like keyword search was for the internet. This episode explores why owning infrastructure won't guarantee profits, how creative value is shifting from packaged content to continuous performance, and what economic primitives will enable creators, brands, and platforms to negotiate sustainably. Drawing parallels from the dotcom era, the Roland 808, and sports fandom, we make the case that the future belongs to those who build cultural scenes, not just content.