tech
'You Can’t Make Billions Without Hurting People': Cory Doctorow on Elon Musk, the AI Bubble and Bosses’ Cruel Fantasies
The writer who coined the word ‘enshittification’ tells us why AI will never deliver what it promises – and why it still appeals so much to those in power
TL;DR
- Cory Doctorow defines 'reverse centaurs' as humans conscripted to assist machines, highlighting potential job displacement across various sectors due to AI.
- He dismisses AI's perceived intelligence as a 'conjuring trick,' emphasizing that machines predict words without genuine intention or consciousness.
- Doctorow identifies the primary driver of AI investment as bosses' desire to eliminate worker co-determination and achieve complete automation.
- He describes the AI sector as a massive, growing economic bubble, warning of significant harm to the broader economy when it inevitably pops.
- Doctorow criticizes the solipsistic nature of billionaires, suggesting their insulation from consequences and drug use (like Elon Musk's ketamine) contributes to their detachment and dehumanization of others.
- The author contrasts the allure of AI with previous failed tech promises like cryptocurrency and the metaverse, attributing the continued hype to a lack of 'object permanence' and a desire to maintain investment flow.