AI Populism: Warning Shots Before 2028 | Jasmine Sun

AI populism is rapidly emerging as a potent political force, uniting disparate interest groups against the perceived elite project of artificial intelligence. Although currently ranking 29th in voter salience, the issue is the fastest-growing concern in the United States, increasingly tethered to anxieties regarding economic mobility, cost of living, and corporate power. Guest Jasmine Sun, an expert on AI and politics, highlights that the "permanent underclass" narrative—often validated by industry leaders predicting mass job displacement—is fostering a nihilistic political climate. This environment encourages radicalized, chronically online individuals to view political violence as a necessary, last-resort intervention against existential threats. Ultimately, the lack of institutional channels for public input on AI development is driving a dangerous, bipartisan backlash that threatens to polarize the 2028 election cycle between accelerationist and decelerationist factions.