Welcome to the Psychedelic Blog. I write about the Impact of Psychedelics on Grieving, Relationships, Culture & Death. This week, I'm exploring how AI will revolutionize the future of Psychedelics—ushering in a new era of personalized compounds designed specifically for your brain.
Really appreciated this take—especially the tension you highlight between optimization and mystery. The idea that AI can personalize a compound and curate the full set/setting experience is both exciting and a little unsettling. Feels like we’re approaching a turning point where the psychedelic journey becomes engineered instead of discovered. Thanks for articulating that so clearly.
I have a strong belief that citizenship has many dimensions. Our constitutional citizenship grants us the right to free speech and our bodies among other things. But, it falls short on other areas - specifically “state of mind”, and for instance “sex”. Sexual citizenship should focus on a concept that the government cannot compel or restrict our sex unless it infringes on the rights of others.
Likewise, conscious citizenship should focus on the idea that government should not compel or restrict our control our state of mind. The 18th amendment moved in that direction, but fell woefully short.
If we wish to alter our state of mind, it should not be the government’s business unless it infringes on someone else’s rights.
I have a feeling that until those rights are better defined it will be very hard to achieve psychic tuning.
Currently most psychotropic drugs are highly controlled, if not illegal.
Likewise very few people even grasp what psychotropic tuning would do. The only psychotropic substances they know are coffee and alcohol.
There is an enormous fear of assuming mental ecstatic states where we aren’t in control.
Totally agree—true citizenship should extend to sovereignty over our own minds & bodies.
The idea of “conscious citizenship” is powerful. Until we reframe altered states as a right rather than a threat, we’ll stay stuck in fear-based policies.
Most people still only recognize coffee & alcohol as acceptable mind-alterers, which says a lot. Psychedelic literacy & legal reform will have to grow in tandem.
I’ve written an entire book called “Chemosexuality” specifically around psychotropic drugs impacting the ecstatic sensations of sex, but I haven’t done anything with it.
The audience for describing the possibility, and the how of pleasure like the half-hour orgasm - give or take, or mutual ascent into shower-like rippling sparkling droplets of full body orgasms with a loved one, the audience is so small I can’t imagine it taking any shape for decades.
The questions, concerns, you raised in section 8 and 9 are very important. Can we trust the pharmaceutical companies to have our best interests at heart? I personally would rather trust my intuition, God's grace and the consciousness of the plant to draw me to the experience I need to have.
I have a friend with bipolar disorder who can’t safely use current Psychedelics. Custom compounds will be a game-changer for her.
But like you, I hesitate. Pharma’s track record isn’t exactly trust-inspiring. There's something sacred about trusting intuition, grace, and the plant’s wisdom. Hard to imagine a lab replicating that.
Unless regulatory bodies can somehow match the speed at which these compounds are being developed—which feels highly unlikely—they’ll remain dated & largely ineffectual.
Where I would love to see progress is in education. Most people lack even a basic understanding of how Psychedelics work, and that vacuum creates the perfect breeding ground for charlatans, reckless retreat centers, and false promises—with potentially disastrous outcomes.
Love this! People don't realize what a massive stair-step breakthrough Alpha Fold represents for life sciences, medicine...and yes, even psychedelics. Can't wait to see what comes out of it!
Another fascinating article, Andrew. I am impressed; your work is always engaging, articulate, and for me, insightful. And Huxley has been one of my literary heroes since I was fourteen and read Brave New World almost sixty years ago. Keep up the great work. I appreciate you.
Really appreciated this take—especially the tension you highlight between optimization and mystery. The idea that AI can personalize a compound and curate the full set/setting experience is both exciting and a little unsettling. Feels like we’re approaching a turning point where the psychedelic journey becomes engineered instead of discovered. Thanks for articulating that so clearly.
Thanks, man! Much appreciated.
The future is coming & it is fascinating.
I have a strong belief that citizenship has many dimensions. Our constitutional citizenship grants us the right to free speech and our bodies among other things. But, it falls short on other areas - specifically “state of mind”, and for instance “sex”. Sexual citizenship should focus on a concept that the government cannot compel or restrict our sex unless it infringes on the rights of others.
Likewise, conscious citizenship should focus on the idea that government should not compel or restrict our control our state of mind. The 18th amendment moved in that direction, but fell woefully short.
If we wish to alter our state of mind, it should not be the government’s business unless it infringes on someone else’s rights.
I have a feeling that until those rights are better defined it will be very hard to achieve psychic tuning.
Currently most psychotropic drugs are highly controlled, if not illegal.
Likewise very few people even grasp what psychotropic tuning would do. The only psychotropic substances they know are coffee and alcohol.
There is an enormous fear of assuming mental ecstatic states where we aren’t in control.
Totally agree—true citizenship should extend to sovereignty over our own minds & bodies.
The idea of “conscious citizenship” is powerful. Until we reframe altered states as a right rather than a threat, we’ll stay stuck in fear-based policies.
Most people still only recognize coffee & alcohol as acceptable mind-alterers, which says a lot. Psychedelic literacy & legal reform will have to grow in tandem.
I’ve written an entire book called “Chemosexuality” specifically around psychotropic drugs impacting the ecstatic sensations of sex, but I haven’t done anything with it.
The audience for describing the possibility, and the how of pleasure like the half-hour orgasm - give or take, or mutual ascent into shower-like rippling sparkling droplets of full body orgasms with a loved one, the audience is so small I can’t imagine it taking any shape for decades.
Sounds like a powerful book!
You’re right—the audience is niche, but naming these experiences matters. Sometimes it just takes one person to say it first.
The questions, concerns, you raised in section 8 and 9 are very important. Can we trust the pharmaceutical companies to have our best interests at heart? I personally would rather trust my intuition, God's grace and the consciousness of the plant to draw me to the experience I need to have.
Absolutely—such an important tension to explore.
I have a friend with bipolar disorder who can’t safely use current Psychedelics. Custom compounds will be a game-changer for her.
But like you, I hesitate. Pharma’s track record isn’t exactly trust-inspiring. There's something sacred about trusting intuition, grace, and the plant’s wisdom. Hard to imagine a lab replicating that.
Yeah, let's just give your friend shock therapy, ( sarcasm)
Unfortunately, being bipolar with manic episodes might not feel all that dissimilar to shock therapy.
Sounds amazing, I just wish there was a better regulatory environment, it will probably be many years before this is a thing
Unless regulatory bodies can somehow match the speed at which these compounds are being developed—which feels highly unlikely—they’ll remain dated & largely ineffectual.
Where I would love to see progress is in education. Most people lack even a basic understanding of how Psychedelics work, and that vacuum creates the perfect breeding ground for charlatans, reckless retreat centers, and false promises—with potentially disastrous outcomes.
Love this! People don't realize what a massive stair-step breakthrough Alpha Fold represents for life sciences, medicine...and yes, even psychedelics. Can't wait to see what comes out of it!
Thanks, man!
They would realize it if they followed the work you are doing in AI. I have learned so much from you, keep going!
Awww, thanks! Doing my best to get the right info out into the world (like you).
Yes sir!
Another fascinating article, Andrew. I am impressed; your work is always engaging, articulate, and for me, insightful. And Huxley has been one of my literary heroes since I was fourteen and read Brave New World almost sixty years ago. Keep up the great work. I appreciate you.
Thank you so much, Nelson! This means a lot.
Agreed - Huxley is one of my favorite thinkers. I find myself channeling him & Alan Watts quite often. So much wisdom from those two.