For millennia, the definition of “work” was defined by the grip of a hand on a tool. When a craftsman held a hammer, the control was absolute. The feedback loop was instant – physics, muscle, result.

Then came industrialization. We built machines that amplified force but abstracted control. The worker no longer held the tool; they pulled a lever. Yet, we maintained a safety net with an “industrial expert.” If the machine broke, a master mechanic understood every gear and piston. We had regulations, safety stops and a clear understanding of cause and effect.

As we moved into the age of software, that control began to drift. We built systems of logic so complex that security breaches became inevitable. Companies paid the price in data and dollars, but we still operated in a world of “deterministic logic.” Code was written by humans, read by humans and (mostly) understood by humans.