Socialism after AI

Artificial intelligence, despite its current manifestation as a tool of capitalist financialization and techno-imperialism, presents a critical intellectual challenge for the socialist project. Rather than viewing AI solely through the lens of the socialist calculation debate—which focuses on efficient resource allocation—the left must address how technology can foster human agency and skill formation. Current market-driven AI models prioritize frictionless, individualized consumption, which suppresses collective sociality and obscures the "dead labor" of human knowledge embedded within these systems. A viable socialist alternative requires moving beyond the dichotomy of necessity and freedom to build institutions that encourage experimentation, reflexivity, and the development of new capacities. By embracing the impurity of AI, socialists can move toward a model of complexity that values the cultivation of human potential over mere productivity, ultimately challenging the neoliberal monopoly on innovation and discovery.