Karen Hao on the Reckless Race for Global AI Power

The AI industry functions as a modern empire, consolidating historic levels of economic and political power through the extraction of data, intellectual property, and labor. These dominant companies operate with minimal accountability, often exploiting highly educated workers for data labeling while simultaneously automating away traditional knowledge-work roles. Rather than pursuing growth at all costs, the industry should prioritize specialized, resource-efficient technologies—such as protein-folding models—that address societal challenges without corrosive impacts. Governance must shift from corporate control to democratic oversight, ensuring that AI development protects human agency and dignity. Karen Hao, author of *Empire of AI*, contends that current development trajectories prioritize corporate domination over public interest, necessitating a fundamental restructuring of how these powerful entities are regulated and held to higher ethical standards.