The author further argues that the 'AI for good' narrative is a mirage, with AI's material dependencies, such as its need for vast amounts of data and energy, coming into focus instead. The author compares AI to the fast fashion industry, being underpinned by sweatshop labour and having a significant environmental impact. The author concludes by suggesting that resistance to this 'automated Thatcherism' will likely have to come from ordinary workers and communities, as political parties are unlikely to restrain AI.
Key takeaways:
- The author argues that AI is not the solution to real-world problems and is instead being used as a 'shock doctrine' to transform social systems without democratic debate.
- AI, particularly large language models, are seen as a means of transferring control to large corporations due to the vast amount of computing power and data required to train them.
- The author suggests that AI is a form of computational Thatcherism, leading to job precaritisation, privatisation, and social erasure, with a particular impact on the most vulnerable in society.
- Despite the potential for 'AI for good', the author argues that AI's material dependencies, including its reliance on outsourced labour and its environmental impact, make it a problematic solution.