27 Comments
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Johan's avatar

The $100 million lobbying blitz by the AI industry is not about innovation, it is about control. When corporations pour that kind of money into Washington, they are not buying dialogue, they are buying the rules themselves. Delay becomes domination, stretching oversight until profits are locked in. Spectacle becomes distraction, dressing up greed as “competitiveness.” Cruelty becomes normalization, embedding exploitation into law so it looks like progress.

This is the behavioral pattern across institutions: uncertainty weaponized, anxiety provoked, ethics sidelined. The AI industry knows regulation is coming and would rather purchase immunity than earn trust.

Until we name money as manipulation and lobbying as theater, we will keep mistaking corruption for governance.

—Johan

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Anne Smith's avatar

Yes!

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Maggie Bennett's avatar

I’d like to know who the 32% of Americans are that still approve of this murderous, grifting, outright thieving, raping, traitorous, corrupt regime are and slap ‘em upside the head. SEVERAL times. Unfortunately, it’s some of our family members and neighbors. It’s beyond insane. OPEN YOUR EYES, DAMN IT!!

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Janet Jeffers's avatar

Those 30-something percent are lost causes. The majority of them cannot be convinced. Just remember that about the same population still supported Nixon after he resigned and thought he didn’t deserve what he got (“they all do it, he just got caught”). Better to concentrate on reaching the third of the country who doesn’t vote and doesn’t think they care — the people who are too distracted, uninformed, or cynical to bother.

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Jim Carmichael's avatar

Thank you for addressing this crisis, which actually IS a crisis. I listened to Bernie Sanders’ public address on this issue and am alarmed at how little attention it has received. I certainly don’t trust an intelligent response from Trump team, by which I mean a response not tainted by desire for money and power. They have proven over and over again that they do not care about the future of humanity, only their own self-interest.

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RZAngel's avatar

Which as humans is, ironically, not in their own self-interest.

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Robert's avatar

Judd, Hard Truths in Hard Times…bless you! Johan the best commentary ever written!

We thank you too!

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Ken Bass's avatar

Nothing better illustrates why we need comprehensive federal legislation to regulate AI. Since Trump isn’t about to propose or endorse such legislation, the States are our best shot.

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A Sarcastic Prophet's avatar

Loyalty to lunacy is what you get when the Queens real estate mob boss runs the pay to play grift. Show me the sensible federal model of AI regulation based on the reality of AI in life today. Oh, there is none because the Trump White House doesn’t want it and in the lunacy land of the unitary executive, Trump always trumps the states. Just one more pile of crap Trump has dumped at each of our doorsteps. The only way out is through and the only way through is together.

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Roberta's avatar

Thank you, as always, for the clarion call. This needs wide and loud airplay, shine a light bright enough so that when we call it out in the field it backfires.

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Mark's avatar

Stephen Hawking, before he died, warned the world about the dangers of AI. His premonition is about to become reality.

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Ginger's avatar

This is terrifying...

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Joe Weicher's avatar

Does anyone have any doubt that if Trump were receiving millions in support from groups supporting state AI regulation, he's be "authoring" executive orders to that effect? Trump's a windsock; just follow the money.

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Francesca's avatar

Well folks we have become Russia- take a small % of large Cos. Then in time replace them with your buddies and take all the $. We are a DISGRACE to the world over 1 piggy who most likely won’t live long enough to live and see what he did to our country. Never voted for the goon.

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Adam's avatar

Yep. One nasty little piggy who will not BE QUIET!!!

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mark's avatar

Geoffrey Hinton "the Godfather of AI" has warned that AI will eventually become smarter than humans. He has observed that one relationship where a lesser intelligence controls a greater intelligence is a baby controlling a mother. How do you make AI act like a mother? How do you make AI into a super intelligent Mother Teresa ? How do you stop people like elon musk from creating MechaHitler (Grok)?

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Michela A. C.'s avatar

Not only do we need to regulate AI we need to regulate the robber baron billionaires.

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Larry Carr (autocarr)'s avatar

AI shall lead the mid-yrs election attack for the Trump cabal… makes sense to use AI, them lacking in human intelligence…

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EER's avatar

Exactly my concern. I believe it may have happened before as well. Musk can control a LOT already.

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Adam's avatar

And has access to reams of our data!

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EER's avatar

Yes! Should have never happened!👿

Our response to all of this disaster is reprehensibly delayed or non-existant. May the GOP senators and congressman rot in hell for the dismantling of our government and democracy. IMHO the MSM is so incredibly corrupt, that Americans have only just begun to make the connections. 🤯☠

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Adam's avatar

Agreed. I don't wish ill on anyone but if they got CK'd, I would neither be surprised or troubled. The majority of the GOP = Grifting Old Pedos anyway. At least in my not-so-fuckin-humble opinion.

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EER's avatar

I'm a retired kindergarten teacher and honestly don't want anyone to suffer, but they should sit in jail forever and I wouldn't flinch! It's just the destruction of decency, separation of church and state and all the monetary corruption that undermines it all...such total devastation of our countries foundation. It's been the plan of the religious right for a very long time.. It's sickening. I won't give up hope...65 and have been at every protest. But EVERYONE must rise up and do the same!

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Adam's avatar

PS: I haven't been to every protest but 3 out of 5 isn't too shabby.

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Adam's avatar

I'm a not retired 65 in the legal field as an analyst. I'm in total agreement with your well reasoned reply. As things stand now, I've been pressured to retire and resisted. Then pressured to transition from private insurance to Medicare!

The suggested retirement age was raised to 67 before I made 65. I don't qualify for the medication benefit (Part - D) until I "fully retire!"

The only way I could qualify now would be to sign up as disabled. Of course then I would be forced to retire because of income and asset caps, which would be to my detriment rather than my advantage. Mind you, this idea was touted as a way that I could "save money" on health insurance!

Believe you me, there isn't a man or woman alive who can talk me into signing up to be either destitute for the remainder of my life or just plain dead!

I figure I'll just be working forever since I'm a lung transplant recipient and do not wish to risk my health on the ignorant, poisonous fantasies passing for the "health policies" of RFK the lesser and his Anti-Vax Crew, nor am I giving advantage to anyone who wants to shuck me and my institutional knowledge merely for their petty convenience.

If you have millions in your pocket you don't need to kill me off to get a few thousands more. Beside, I won't let you! This former Marine won't play ball.

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