Who is Jianwei Xun? My perspective on rethinking philosophy in the age of GenAI

4

October

2025

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A compelling example of Generative AI co-creation, a “philosophical experiment” that perfectly illustrates its own thesis, a powerful metaphor for our AI-disrupted era. The bestselling (fake) philosopher who brilliantly analysed digital manipulation but does not actually exist.

What if the most insightful philosopher of the digital age wasn’t a “who”, but a “what”?

Initially presented as a Hong Kong-born philosopher based in Berlin, Jianwei Xun quickly gained traction in European intellectual circles for his work Hypnocracy: Trump, Musk, and the New Architecture of Reality. The book reports a sharp analysis of how power operates in the digital age not through oppression, but through the stories we consume and believe. Its central concept, “hypnocracy”, describes a new form of manipulation, where power works by shaping our very state of consciousness through algorithms, filter bubbles, and personalised timelines, getting readers into a state of collective trance.

Ironically, the book embodies the very phenomenon it is critical of, being it an AI-generated text about AI-driven manipulation itself. Indeed, its true author is the Italian essayist and publisher Andrea Colamedici. He revealed that Jianwei Xun is a “distributed philosophical entity,” a collaborative construct between human intelligence and artificial intelligence systems. Colamedici used AI platforms, specifically ChatGPT and Claude, not as a ghostwriter, but as an “interlocutor” (El Paìs, 2025). He would present ideas, challenge the AI’s assertions, request deeper analysis, and even pit different AIs against each other in a “fertile conflict”, using a method he terms “ontological engineering” (Le Grand Continent, 2025). He estimates about 40% of the book’s early drafts were AI-generated, which he then curated, merged, and refined.

To solidify the persona and anchor it in the academic digital ecosystem, Colamedici had built a detailed fictional biography, a professional website, and uploaded scholarly publications to Academia.edu. He even created a fictional literary agent, Sarah Horowitz, to handle communications with journalists and publishers. The deception unraveled in April 2025, when the journalist of L’Espresso Sabina Minardi investigated and found that the philosopher was a pseudonym for this human-AI collaboration. Her suspicions arose from “linguistic clues”, a “phraseology that seemed designed to hypnotise”, and the evasiveness of the author (L’Espresso, 2025). As a response, Colamedici clarified its intent: to let the medium become the message. Readers and the media weren’t just reading about a digitally constructed reality; they were participating in one, being “hypnotised” by a coherent and persuasive intellectual voice that had no physical existence.

My Personal Experience: Contextualising the Case as a Mirror for Our Times

Personally, I reckon that Jianwei Xun experiment is a Rosetta Stone for understanding the implications of Generative AI in the reality we are living in. Colamedici insists that Jianwei Xun is not a pseudonym but a “device” and an “emergent form of authorship” (Le Grand Continent, 2025). He resists the idea that Xun is merely the avatar of a literate person using a tool, proposing instead a “third space where human and artificial cognition meet”. What can be defined as a conceptual deepfake, Jianwei Xun was conceived to create a visceral, memorable understanding of a complex philosophical idea.

At this point, we as readers – and consumers – are forced to completely rethink what originality and authority mean. Not only does this represent a fundamental challenge for any content-driven digital strategy, but is also points to a unique strategic opportunity: using AI-generated narratives to build immersive brand stories or educational experiences that resonate on a deeper level than traditional content – this way, moving beyond shallow, throwaway AI-generated content. Xun’s case also landed in a regulatory grey area, running afoul of the European AI Act, which mandates transparency for AI-generated content. Therefore, the (initial) failure of media and institutional gatekeepers to discern the artificial from the human of this product helps underscoring a dual imperative: leveraging AI for innovative engagement while simultaneously building robust AI literacy and validation processes.

To me, Jianwei Xun’s Hypnocracy holds up an uncomfortable mirror. Even though I initially felt uncomfortable due to its deception, I cannot dismiss its brilliance as a performative critique. In a powerful yet dangerous way, it proves that in the age of AI, a compelling narrative, regardless of its origin, can capture attention and influence thought. As already mentioned, our responsibility should be to advocate for clear disclosures when AI is used a collaborator, building trust in an era of synthetic content. On the other hand, we should move from passive consumption to active, critical co-creation, using AI as a “maieutic” interlocutor to nurture and challenge our own thinking – much like Colamedici did, attempting to follow Socrates’ footsteps in the era of digitalisation. Thus, the goal should be to engage with the machine to sharpen our own critical faculties, without getting stuck in an algorithmic echo chamber, but aiming at a more innovative, responsible, and human-centric approach.

Because the era of hypnocracy is here, and we have to navigate it with our eyes wide open.

Sources

Limòn, R. (2025, April 7). Jianwei Xun, the supposed philosopher behind the hypnocracy theory, does not exist and is a product of artificial intelligence. El País (English). https://english.elpais.com/technology/2025-04-07/jianwei-xun-the-supposed-philosopher-behind-the-hypnocracy-theory-does-not-exist-and-is-a-product-of-artificial-intelligence.html

Gressani, G. (2025, April 4). Chi è Jianwei Xun: una conversazione con Jianwei Xun. Le Grand Continent.https://legrandcontinent.eu/it/2025/04/04/chi-e-jianwei-xun-una-conversazione-con-jianwei-xun/

Minardi, S. (2025, April 7). Ipnocrazia: best seller libro – chi è Xun. L’Espresso.https://lespresso.it/c/inchieste/2025/4/7/ipnocrazia-best-seller-libro-chi-e-xun/53621

Carelli, E. (2025, April 3). Ipnocrazia, intelligenza artificiale, scrittura, filosofia. L’Espresso.https://lespresso.it/c/opinioni/2025/4/3/ipnocrazia-intelligenza-artificiale-scrittura-filosofia-lespresso/53598

The New York Times. (2025, April 30). The hypnocracy: AI philosopher book. The New York Times.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/world/europe/hypnocracy-ai-philosopher-book.html

Tlon (2025). Ipnocrazia. Trump, Musk e la nuova architettura della realtà. Jianwei Xun. https://tlon.it/ipnocrazia/

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The Real Cost of Convenience: Are We Trading Ownership for Access?

27

September

2025

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Digital disruption is often illustrated to us through the dramatic stories of startups taking on the giants. But a quieter but more profound change is happening: the shift from owning products to subscribing to services. This change, driven by digital platforms, is redefining business models by applying the economics of digital goods to physical products.

Platforms are driving this change by exploiting the characteristics of information goods which have high upfront costs but low reproduction costs. As researchers highlight, digitalization allows manufacturers to switch from selling products to offer data-driven services (Kowalkowski et al., 2022). We can see this in the automotive industry where companies such as BMW are now offering monthly subscriptions to unlock features like heated seats and automatic high-beam headlights (Levin, 2023). In doing so, the car becomes a platform that generates revenue beyond the initial sale and not just a product.

This shows a powerful form of digital disruption that changes how value is created and delivered. The move to service-based models allows companies to build continuous relationships with their customers, creating stable revenue streams through what is essentially a rental economy (Kindström & Kowalkowski, 2015). This goes beyond cars to everyday items. For example, Signify (formerly Philips Lighting) offers a Light-as-a-Service (LaaS) model where businesses pay for high-quality illumination and lighting services rather than the products themselves.  This service includes design, installation, maintenance, upgrades and even replacement of lighting systems, with Signify owning and responsible for the equipment’s lifecycle (Signify, n.d.).

In my opinion, this subscription model has both advantages and drawbacks. While it offers lower upfront costs and continuous updates for consumers, it raises important questions about long-term expenses, repair rights, and consumer autonomy. Are we creating a future where we truly own nothing? The sustainability of this model will depend on whether companies prioritize transparent pricing and fair consumer practices over locking users into perpetual payments.

What has been your experience with subscription services for physical products? Have you found the convenience worth the potential trade-offs?


References:

Kindström, D., & Kowalkowski, C. (2015). Service-driven business model innovation: Organizing the shift from a product-based to a service-centric business model. In N. Foss & T. Saebi (Eds.), Business model innovation: The organizational dimension. Oxford University Press.

Kowalkowski, C., Tronvoll, B., Sörhammar, D., & Sklyar, A. (2022). Digital servitization: How data-driven services drive transformation.

Levin, T. (2023, October 20). Car companies want to make billions by charging monthly fees for features like heated seats, but buyers won’t pay up. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/car-feature-subscriptions-add-ons-bmw-ford-toyota-gm-2022-2

Signify. (n.d.). Light as a service. Signify. https://www.signify.com/global/signify-services/managed-services/light-as-a-service

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The Invisible Guide: How ‘Phygital’ Tech is Weaving Itself Into Italy’s Cultural Fabric

18

September

2025

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We frequently picture online-only titans like Netflix or Amazon as the main characters of digital disruption. However, when navigating through new digital business upending entire industries, nowhere is this more visible than in one of the most traditional sectors of the Italian economy: tourism.

As an Italian student, I see my country’s majestic ruins and museums not just as cultural treasures, but as ground zero for digital disruption. While mass tourism unpleasantly overwhelms our cities, a new breed of startups is using a seamless blend of physical and digital to disrupt the traditional “guidebook-and-tour-bus” model. They are creating value in a completely new way, proving that in the era of experience economy, even the world’s oldest heritage can be seen through new, digital lens.

What Is “Phygital” and What Does It Really Mean for Strategy

Indeed, some of the most intriguing innovations occur when the digital and physical worlds collide, a phenomenon known to academics as the “phygital approach.” According to recent studies on Italian cultural tourism startups, these initiatives are empowering tourists to become curators of their own journeys, moving from passive observers to active participants, putting the power of a personalised, deep cultural immersion directly into the hands of the individual visitor (Greco et al., 2024). Therefore, it’s not just using tech on-site; it’s about creating value through three interconnected dimensions:

  1. Interaction: This first aspect is the key to moving from a broadcast to a dialogue. It allows visitors to customise their experience, also giving them the possibility to leave their mark, stimulating a deeper sense of agency and belonging.
  2. Immediacy: The bridge between the digital and physical must be instantaneous. For this reason, tools like QR codes, NFC tags, or location-based triggers are employed to deliver content right when and where it’s most relevant.
  3. Immersion: The digital layer should pull tourists deeper into the narrative of the place, not out of it. At the end of the day, what stays with them is thanks to emotional engagement, not just to visual spectacle.

Phygital In Action: Italy’s Living Laboratory

It is fascinating to read about how some Italian innovators are exploring this spectrum.

The Responsive Museum

Some museums in Italy employ simple yet clever technology in addition to AR. As you move, motion sensors pick up on background noise or changes in the lighting in a space, gently directing your path and changing the mood. This is immersion using ambient intelligence rather than a screen, employing a potent but frequently disregarded tactic.

ZIA’s Conversational Layer

A curious work under development in the Molise CTE research project is ZIA (Grasso, Catalano, Lanza, & Romano, 2024). By adopting the culturally resonant figure of the zietta, this Gen-AI “Local Auntie” aims at animating a trusted, friendly interface to interact with and assist tourists visiting the Belpaese. This way, it feels more like receiving guidance from a local than surfing on a database, which thing encourages hands-on exploration.

The Apulia Metaverse

The Italian region of Apulia has been recreated in the Metaverse (Rizzo, Di Bitonto, Laterza, & Roselli, 2023), so that prospective travellers can virtually visit and engage with local vendors and digital guides even before their trip. Despite its drawbacks, the try before you buy it through a metaverse platform possesses effective strategic value, creating excitement and lessening the uncertainty associated with travel planning.

    The Enabling Ecosystem: (Invisible) Foundations for Phygital Adoption

    Of course, none of this is possible without a solid foundation. Italian universities play a big role in shaping digital startups (Colombelli, D’Amico, & Paolucci, 2023). Additionally, according to the OECD Cogito (2025) report, the unsung heroes are Italy’s efforts to promote public Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi by Italia.it), digital upskill small hospitality businesses, and smart city projects. The implementation of ideas by startups and museums is made easier by this public-digital infrastructure. They can create the svelte vehicles that travel on the digital highway instead of having to start from scratch.

    When the Two Realities Collide

    As earlier work already highlighted (Greco, 2022), good digital strategy in Italy’s cultural sector needs to take into consideration very real limitations. First of all, the price of creating a custom app is still too high for a small museum. For this reason, the approach must prioritise platform-neutral, lightweight tools (like web-based augmented reality) over native apps. Secondly, it’s a mistake to assume that every traveler has the newest smartphone, data plan, and the cunning to use these tools — here comes the digital literacy gap.

    But the greatest strategic risk in preserving the genius loci is the development of a uniform digital layer that gives each heritage site a uniform feel. Instead of overpowering the place’s distinct spirit, the technology should be designed to enhance it: curation, not just creation, is the approach.

    My View: Contextual Personalisation is the Strategic Imperative

    In my opinion, what is really needed is contextual personalisation. I believe more intelligent systems, rather than more immersive graphics, will be the next big thing.

    For instance, a platform that recognises a user’s interests (for example, they love Renaissance art but detest crowds), comprehends their current situation (they are in front of the Uffizi Gallery at 11 am on a busy Tuesday), and provides a highly customised physical intervention will be the winning tactic: “At the moment, the Hall of Botticelli is full. For a more peaceful hallway, turn left here. While you stroll, I’ll send you a two-minute story about this lesser-known painting”.

    Essentially, making Italy a tech demo is not the aim. The goal is to use technology to help each visitor develop a deeper connection with the people, culture, and history they are visiting. And it’s worthwhile to develop that tactic.

    Thanks for sticking with me through this post! I’d love to read what are your thoughts, experiences, or even questions about this! Let’s get a discussion going in the comments.

    Resources

    Colombelli, A., D’Amico, E., & Paolucci, E. (2023). When computer science is not enough: Universities’ knowledge specializations behind artificial intelligence startups in Italy. The Journal of Technology Transfer. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-023-10029-7

    Greco, A. (2022). Cultural startups and the challenge of phygital approaches: Cases from Italy. Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II. https://www.iris.unina.it/handle/11588/993758

    Greco, A., Carignani, A., Clemente, M., & Bifulco, F. (2024). Phygital as a lever for value propositions in Italian cultural tourism startups. Sustainability, 16(6), 2550. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062550

    Grasso, A., Catalano, S., Lanza, R., & Romano, G. (2024). zIA: A GenAI-powered local auntie assists tourists in Italy. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.11830

    Mazzoni, F., Pinelli, M., & Riccaboni, M. (2023). Measuring corporate digital divide with web scraping: Evidence from Italy. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.04925

    OECD. (2025, July 16). Tradition meets tech: How digital tools are transforming tourism in Italy. OECD Cogito. https://oecdcogito.blog/2025/07/16/tradition-meets-tech-how-digital-tools-are-transforming-tourism-in-italy

    Rizzo, A., Di Bitonto, P., Laterza, M., & Roselli, T. (2023). Development of a metaverse platform for tourism promotion in Apulia. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.11877

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