The AI Authoritarian Threat: How Unchecked AI Development Could Feed Fascism
Syndicated by Brego.com
by Edmund J. Janas, II
Yesterday’s indictment of the fake Republican electors in Arizona dealt a major blow to efforts by former President Trump and his allies to subvert democracy and unlawfully cling to power. Crucially, these state charges cannot be pardoned away, representing a significant legal hurdle for Trump’s possible return to the White House.
However, we must acknowledge that this indictment may not have occurred at all if Arizona’s Democratic governor had not won re-election by the narrowest of margins. Under a different administration hostile to upholding the will of the voters, the audacious scheme to send bogus pro-Trump electors to Congress could have been swept under the rug.
This sobering reality underscores a profoundly disturbing trend – the flagrant disregard for democratic norms, long-established institutions, and even the rule of law itself by certain bad actors hellbent on clinging to power at all costs. From Trump’s unprecedented refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, to the Supreme Court’s rulings that increasingly prioritize partisan interests over judicial independence, we are witnessing the erosion of vital guardrails protecting our democratic system.
Compounding this crisis is the systematic rollback of civil rights and liberties through a raft of regressive policies. Whether it’s stripping reproductive freedoms, undermining the right to protest, or potentially criminalizing undocumented immigrants, an “us vs them” mentality has taken hold that seeks to privilege the narrow interests of a select few over those of the majority.
But in this polarized political climate, one deeply concerning question remains unasked: Why are people willing to risk professional ruin, bankruptcy, and incarceration to corrupt the system for personal gain or ideological reasons?
The development of advanced artificial intelligence capabilities creates a particularly insidious variable. If left unchecked and allowed to be steered by unethical actors, AI could become a powerful instrument of oppression and social control under authoritarian forces. Even innocuous critiques like Elon Musk’s calling of ChatGPT “woke” reveal a underlying current of technologists anthropomorphizing AI systems and overlooking the existential peril of advanced AI perpetuating societal biases and reinforcing the power structures of the ruling class.
As AI develops further, the next few years will prove pivotal in determining whether these technologies remain a force for good for all of humanity, or are contorted into tools of high-tech oppression by modern-day fascists and authoritarians. Ethical AI governance, protecting democratic institutions, and staunchly upholding civil liberties must be paramount priorities. An unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights for all citizens – not just the select few – is crucial to ensuring these world-changing innovations benefit society equitably rather than entrenching the interests of a technologically-empowered minority.
Complacency in the face of authoritarian forces’ co-option of AI capabilities could prove utterly disastrous in the long run. If we let these destabilizing forces go unchecked, the door to a new age of AI-facilitated social control and oppression could swing open irreversibly. We must take proactive steps now to keep that door firmly shut in service of democracy, human rights, and the greater good for all. The future will not be forged by malignantly-steered machines, but by the boundless potential of human ingenuity and the enduring virtues of freedom, justice, and truth.
