The Future Of Money and AI With Natalie MacNeil

Update: 2025-06-02

Description

In this forward-thinking episode, I'm joined by Emmy award-winning media entrepreneur and futurist Natalie MacNeil to explore the radical transformation of money happening before our eyes. From decentralised finance to community wealth-building, we dive deep into what the future holds for how we earn, save, and invest.

The Dragonfly Metaphor

Richard Rudd's story of the dragonfly as a metaphor for our current financial transformation
Water nymphs living underwater with no concept of flying - representing our current understanding of money
The biological impulse to climb up and transform into something completely different
How we're about to experience a shift as dramatic as moving from water to flying through air

From Individual to Collective Wealth

The shift from individual wealth-building to community-focused financial systems
How AI, robotics, automation, and blockchain will converge to change everything
The "zero cost margin scenario" - when robots can produce almost everything for nearly free
Why community and focusing on "being human" becomes crucial as machines replace human labour

Decentralised Finance Revolution

How fiat currency is backed by trust, not gold, creating vulnerability to government money printing
The concept of being "your own bank" through decentralised finance
Smart contracts replacing traditional intermediaries like bankers and lawyers
Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs) returning power to communities
Real examples already happening: Tesla robo-taxis that can work and earn money autonomously

New Forms of Wealth Creation

Why future wealth won't come from jobs but from owning the machines and AI doing the work
Capital ownership becoming more crucial than ever
Examples of productive digital assets and cryptocurrency staking
The importance of creating a "low burn digital life" with location independence

Portfolio Allocation and Risk Management

Natalie's 15% crypto allocation vs traditional financial advice of 2-3%
The importance of age and risk tolerance in allocation decisions
Warning against valueless meme coins and alt coins without real utility
Focus on coins with genuine technology and long-term value propositions

Values-Based Investing in Digital Assets

Screening investments for environmental impact and sustainability
Using AI tools to analyse portfolio alignment with personal values
The concept of money as "a prayer" - investing with sacred intention
Gradual transition rather than wholesale portfolio changes

Practical Implementation Strategies

Using AI to create personalised financial education courses
Building custom GPTs as investment advisors with daily market updates
Incorporating emotional forecasting and fear/greed index monitoring
The tokenisation of real-world assets like property for easier transactions

Preparing the Next Generation

How financial education will be radically different in five years
Teaching children about digital assets and decentralised systems
The importance of understanding both traditional and future financial systems

Final Thought

This transformation requires both practical preparation and spiritual growth. As robots free up human time, we must explore deeper questions about purpose, abundance, and what it means to be human. The future is moving from scarcity to abundance - but only for those who prepare and adapt.