Is Washington Up to the Challenge of A.I.?

Political backlash to artificial intelligence is increasing, particularly among young Americans. The focus centers on whether Washington can regulate AI companies effectively. The discussion considers the White House’s sudden reversal on an AI-safety executive order. Venture capitalists are described as having outsized influence in the AI industry. The impact of AI on American politics is framed as potentially turbocharging the next populist movement. Protests involving data centers are linked to concerns that AI is taking society toward outcomes people do not want. The concerns include a corporate race that could harm protesters or leave them as a permanent underclass.

"My impression is that a lot of the people protesting data centers can sort of tell that this A.I. stuff is taking the world somewhere they don't want. They can tell that there's this big corporate race that will either kill them or make them a permanent underclass."

"The group explores what was behind the White House's sudden reversal on an A.I.-safety executive order this week, the outsized influence of venture capitalists in the A.I. industry, and how A.I. may turbocharge the next populist movement in American politics."

"The Washington Roundtable discusses the growing political backlash to artificial intelligence, especially among young Americans, and asks whether Washington is capable of regulating A.I. companies."

Read at The New Yorker