Those who first dreamed of artificial intelligence saw it as an instrument for the perfection of modern secular society. The IBM Pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair, where some of the earliest AI applications made their public debut, advertised a streamlined future in which technologically enhanced problem-solving was extended to all areas of life.

Imagine that, as a result of an activist investor campaign, you are suddenly installed as the chief executive of a company that has missed its targets for five straight years and experienced a number of embarrassing operational lapses. Or imagine that, much like UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, you now lead a country that has been held back by a lack of vision and sluggish decision-making.

‍In October 1907, the financier J. P. Morgan was in Richmond, Virginia. He was there to attend a conference of the Episcopal Church, of which he was a senior benefactor and a church leader. But then he received word from his partners to hasten back to New York City. A failed stock market speculation had led to the collapse of two brokerage firms and runs on several trust companies and banks. ‍ ‍