Historian Warns AI Could Threaten Democracy

US historian Jill Lepore, who has won the Pulitzer prize, has written a new book about the dangers of artificial intelligence. The book is called The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State. It argues that AI threatens liberal democracy, the system where people vote freely and governments protect individual rights.

Lepore's main argument is that private tech companies now hold enormous power. She points out that these companies are often led by men whose personal priorities may not match what is good for society. This gives them huge influence over how AI develops and how it is used.

According to Lepore, this situation could lead to a dystopia, a frightening future society where democracy is destroyed. She warns that parts of this dystopia are already appearing in the world today, not just in some distant future.

The book traces the history of technology and power, showing how earlier events connect to today's AI boom. Lepore uses her skills as a historian to explain how we reached this point and why it matters.

Reviewers describe the book as an ominous warning, meaning it predicts serious trouble ahead. The review calls it a serious and thoughtful look at how technology could reshape, or even end, democratic government as we know it.