Thomas Unise
Sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom challenges the narrative that an AI-dominated future is inevitable, arguing that this technological determinism primarily serves the interests of the wealthy and powerful.
The Myth of AI Inevitability
Speaking at a recent Urban Consulate panel in Detroit, esteemed sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom offered a bold counternarrative to the prevailing discourse around artificial intelligence. While tech companies and futurists debate whether AI will create utopia or destruction, Cottom points out that both scenarios share a problematic assumption: that an AI future is predetermined.
“When people try to sell you on the idea that the future is already settled, it’s because it is deeply unsettled,” Cottom remarked. She suggests that the push for widespread AI acceptance stems from “collective anxiety that very wealthy, powerful people have about how well they’re gonna be able to control us.”
Who Benefits from the AI Narrative?
According to Cottom, the current AI trajectory primarily benefits the wealthy, regardless of whether the technology is framed as beneficial or harmful. By convincing the public that AI dominance is inevitable, powerful interests create a self-fulfilling prophecy where society builds the very future that serves their interests.
This perspective gains credibility when considering the current technical limitations of AI. Despite massive investments, large language models (LLMs) continue to face significant development challenges, with Cottom noting that even after recent updates, ChatGPT struggled with creating an accurate alphabet poster for preschoolers.
The Power of Refusal
Cottom’s central message is one of agency and resistance. “My most daring idea is to refuse,” she stated to audience applause. She draws parallels to historical precedents where seemingly inevitable social structures were eventually rejected and dismantled.
“The proposal for a post-human future is one where there will be human beings who will just be treated inhumanely,” Cottom explained. “We’re not going to stop making people or humans, they’re just saying we’re not going to treat you as humans. And I refuse. And I think that we all can.”
Drawing from her perspective as a Black woman, Cottom suggests that marginalized communities have particular insight into this form of resistance: “I think that being Black is an act of refusal, I think we know how to refuse. I think that everybody else needs to learn it from us.”
Hope Through Resistance
Despite the seemingly bleak assessment that powerful billionaires are using AI narratives to consolidate control, Cottom’s message ultimately offers hope. She reframes resistance not as pessimism but as optimism about human agency.
“I think refusing is actually the more hopeful, expansion vision of the future, than the one that is telling us that the future is already settled and decided,” she concluded.
Key Takeaways
- The narrative that AI will inevitably dominate our future serves the interests of wealthy and powerful individuals
- Current technological limitations suggest AI dominance is far from guaranteed
- The proposed “post-human” future doesn’t eliminate humans but justifies treating people inhumanely
- Historical precedent shows that seemingly inevitable systems can be rejected and changed
- Refusing technological determinism represents a more hopeful vision of the future
As society continues to navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape, Cottom’s perspective offers a crucial reminder that technological development is shaped by human choices and power structures, not predetermined outcomes.
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