Historian: AI leaders are selling an old fantasy of replacing the nation-state

Historian Jill Lepore argues in her upcoming book, "The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State," that tech companies are increasingly assuming governmental functions, often using grand language to describe their products. She contends that leaders in Silicon Valley, including those in AI, mistake technological progress for political advancement and promote an outdated vision of replacing the nation-state. Lepore draws parallels from historical examples like the 1984 Macintosh ad and E.M. Forster's "The Machine Stops" to illustrate her theory that this "artificial state" is ultimately unsustainable. AI

IMPACT Critiques the rhetoric of AI leaders, suggesting their promises of efficient governance are repackaged old ideas.

RANK_REASON Article is an interview with a historian discussing her book's thesis on AI companies assuming governmental functions.

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