Thomas Unise
Renowned sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom argues that the AI future being sold to us primarily benefits the wealthy and powerful, while encouraging collective resistance to this predetermined narrative.
The Unsettled Future of AI
During a recent panel at the Urban Consulate in Detroit, Cottom challenged the popular narratives surrounding artificial intelligence that present it as an inevitable force shaping humanity’s future. She suggested that when powerful interests insist the future is already settled, it’s precisely because it isn’t.
According to Cottom, the promise of an AI-dominated future reflects the anxieties of wealthy and powerful individuals about their ability to maintain control over society. By convincing the public that AI supremacy is inevitable, these elites hope to make us complicit in creating that reality.
The Power of Refusal
Cottom’s most provocative idea is simple yet profound: refuse to accept this predetermined narrative. She points out that current technological limitations suggest an AI-dominated future isn’t guaranteed, noting recent development plateaus and significant errors in even the most advanced systems like ChatGPT.
Drawing historical parallels, Cottom reminded the audience that chattel slavery was once presented as an inevitable, permanent institution by the wealthy elites of that era. She suggests that being Black has historically been an act of refusal against dehumanizing systems, and encourages everyone to learn this form of resistance.
A Post-Human Future?
The sociologist warns that what’s being marketed as a post-human future is actually a future where certain humans will be treated inhumanely. The powerful aren’t proposing to stop making humans; they’re proposing to stop treating many people as fully human.
Despite the bleak assessment that billionaires may be using AI to consolidate control over humanity, Cottom remains hopeful. She argues that refusing predetermined narratives represents a more expansive and hopeful vision of the future than accepting that our technological destiny is already decided.
Key Takeaways
- AI narratives that present a predetermined future primarily serve wealthy and powerful interests
- Current technological limitations suggest an AI-dominated future isn’t inevitable
- Refusing to accept these narratives is a form of resistance with historical precedent
- The proposed
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