In 2010, I submitted a concept to Google’s “Project \(10^{100}\)” called ETIX (Ethical Investment Index). The idea was simple but, at the time, technologically “homeless”: use data to factor environmental and societal contributions into a company’s value.
Back then, AI was still a promise, and the “Free Market” was widely accepted as a rational machine. I argued then—and it is undeniable now—that the machine is actually flying blind.
The Diagnostic:
A Market Without Eyes
We have spent decades operating under the delusion that “externalities”—the carbon we emit, the resources we deplete, the boundaries we cross—don’t have a price. But as we stand in 2026, we are hitting the hard physical walls of our planet’s ecosystem. I call this the Protocol of the Boundary.
The “Free Market” assumptions of information availability and rational choice have been proven false. In reality, our current market rewards “boundary-crossers” because their true costs are invisible to consumers and investors alike. In 2019, I wrote that “every year we spend doing nothing will be sorely missed.” That time has passed. We no longer need to wait for the technology; the technology is waiting for us.
The Architect’s Blueprint:
The FIX Engine
The FIX (Future Index) is the technological “Eye” of the market. It is an AI-driven, privacy-first protocol that calculates the real-world impact of any transaction. It operates on three technical pillars:
- Agentic Auditing: Unlike traditional ESG metrics that rely on self-reporting, the FIX Engine uses Autonomous AI Agents to cross-reference satellite data, IoT sensors, and supply chain logs in real-time. The FIX score isn’t a static label; it’s a living reflection of reality.
- Zero-Knowledge Accountability: To address concerns about surveillance, we use Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs). The system verifies the impact of your purchase without ever knowing who you are. It provides accountability without “Big Brother.”
- Programmable Incentives: High FIX scores aren’t just for “feeling good.” They are linked to Future Equity—fractional shares in companies that are successfully navigating the Boundary. We make it mathematically irrational to be destructive.
The Experience:
Playing the Infinite Game
Living within the Boundary shouldn’t feel like a lecture; it should feel like a co-pilot. Imagine a typical day:
- The Pre-Purchase Whisper: You scan two coffee brands. One is cheaper, but the FIX App notes that it crosses a water scarcity boundary. The other brand costs 50 cents more but earns you 75 cents in “Future-Proof” equity. The “right” choice becomes the obvious financial choice.
- The Invisible Accountant: At lunch, your digital card performs a private handshake with the FIX protocol. The restaurant’s sustainable sourcing is verified, and your “Stewardship” level increases—all while your personal data stays on your device.
- The Portfolio of Impact: At the end of the month, you don’t see a list of expenses. You see a portfolio of growth. Your daily consumption has been transformed into a form of universal capital, invested in the very systems that ensure our long-term survival.
The Transition:
An Upgrade for Everyone
This is not a proposal for a “green dictatorship” or a moral crusade. It is a long-overdue upgrade to our economic navigation system.
- For the Pragmatist: You wouldn’t fly a plane without an altimeter. The FIX Engine is simply the instrument panel for a finite planet.
- For the Skeptic: This isn’t about trusting a central authority. The FIX protocol is open-source, decentralized, and governed by data, not political promises.
- For the Individual: This is about security. In a world of shifting resources, “Future-Proof” assets are the only ones that will hold value.
We are moving away from the “Zero-Sum” game of late capitalism and toward the Infinite Game—one where the goal isn’t to take everything from the table, but to ensure the table stays set for the next round.
The technology exists. The math is sound. It’s time to stop flying blind and start playing the game for real.
FAQ:
Understanding the FIX Protocol
1. Who actually decides what is “good” or “bad”?
The FIX Engine doesn’t rely on personal opinions or shifting political trends. It is based on the Protocol of the Boundary—the objective, physical limits of our planet (such as carbon capacity, water renewal rates, and soil health).
Instead of a boardroom of executives, the “parameters” are set by a decentralized network of scientists and peer-reviewed ecological data. The engine measures how much a product “costs” the earth’s ability to sustain life. If the science changes, the FIX algorithm updates. It’s a “Truth Layer” based on physics, not a moral judgment.
2. Isn’t this just a new way to track and control my life?
Actually, it’s the opposite. Today, credit card companies and tech giants already track your every move and sell that data to the highest bidder.
The FIX Index uses Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP). This technology allows the engine to verify that “a transaction happened” and “it was within the boundary” without ever knowing your name, your location, or your history. You get the rewards, but you remain a “ghost” to the system. You are accountable to the Boundary, not to a “Big Brother.”
3. How do you stop corporations from “Greenwashing” the AI?
In the old system, companies wrote their own sustainability reports. In the FIX system, the AI Agents are the auditors. They don’t just read the reports; they cross-reference satellite imagery (to verify whether forests are being planted), IoT sensor data from factories (to measure actual emissions), and blockchain-verified shipping logs.
If a company lies, the data won’t match. Because the FIX Engine is Open Source, anyone can audit the code to ensure the AI isn’t being “bribed” or biased toward specific brands.
4. I’m already struggling with inflation. Why should I pay more for “Green” stuff?
The “Consumption Game” is designed to fix the very inflation you’re feeling. Currently, you pay for products, but the “value” of a healthy planet is being drained away for free.
With FIX, when you choose a high-scoring product, you aren’t just “buying” something; you are earning. The system captures the value created by staying within the boundary and returns it to you as Future Equity (fractional shares in future-proof companies). It turns your daily spending into a survival fund for your future.
5. What if the AI gets it wrong?
No system is perfect, but a decentralized system is “self-correcting.” Because the protocol is open, if a community or a scientist finds a flaw in how a specific FIX score is calculated, they can submit a “correction proposal.” If the data supports it, the engine updates globally in real time. This is governance by reality, not by bureaucracy.
6. Is this meant to replace the current economy?
No. It is meant to upgrade it. We are adding a “Navigation Layer” to the market. People are still free to buy whatever they want, but for the first time, they will see the true price of their choices. Once the invisible is made visible, the market will naturally shift toward the most sustainable (and therefore most valuable) path.
7. Isn’t AI itself bad for the environment?
Yes, computation has a footprint. That’s why the FIX Engine is the first AI that audits itself. We treat our own power and water usage as part of the equation. Our goal is to ensure the ‘Intelligence Dividend’—the resources saved by our insights—is always orders of magnitude larger than the electricity we consume to generate them.