‘Hard Fork’ Live, Part 1: Satya Nadella and Cindy Cohn

The future of artificial intelligence hinges on transitioning from isolated frontier models to a broad, agent-driven ecosystem that integrates into daily economic life. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella envisions a shift toward agent-first hardware and sustainable growth, where AI tools empower enterprises across the economy rather than concentrating power in a few firms. Parallel to these technological advancements, digital art projects like the "Regular Animals" robot dogs highlight the surreal intersection of media, technology, and cultural perception. However, this rapid integration of AI raises critical concerns regarding privacy and mass surveillance. As surveillance becomes a primary business model for major tech platforms, the erosion of user sovereignty demands a more adversarial approach from activists. Protecting individual rights requires robust due process and a rejection of the fatalism that suggests privacy is no longer a winnable fight.