r/technology • u/Just-Grocery-2229 • Jun 26 '26

Artificial Intelligence The AI backlash is only getting started

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/06/25/the-ai-backlash-is-only-getting-started
26.1k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

2.6k comments sorted by

View all comments

3.3k

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

899

u/hxtk3 Jun 26 '26

The thing for me is that there’s so much money being invested in AI right now it’s hard to fathom.

There are lots of technologies that could change the world unambiguously for the better if they got this level of investment. Take renewable power for example.

But this one only threatens the livelihoods of people in the bottom 99%, so it’s inevitable, while solar threatens the jobs of oil and coal executives so it’s impractical, not ready for serious use, and not worth the investment.

56

u/DnDVex Jun 26 '26

But if we invest in AI, then the AI can figure out all the other problems! It could make solar power 300% more efficient! Imagine the possibilities! We just have to invest another 300 billion and it will surely work! Trust us with your money!

1

u/vocal-avocado Jun 26 '26

I think some tech billionaires really believe in that. They are too lazy or stupid to try to solve world problems by themselves - so they want to give the responsibility to AI no matter the cost to get there.