Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore is sounding a stark warning about the encroaching influence of technology companies on the functions of democratic governance. In her forthcoming book, "The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State," Lepore argues that these private corporations are increasingly assuming roles traditionally held by the state, leading to what she describes as "a return to tyranny and mystification in the form of rule by algorithms, corporations, machines."
Lepore articulated these concerns during a recent appearance on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast. She distinguishes her critique from a general technophobia, stating, "I’m not an anti-technologist. My beef is the ways in which private corporations have increasingly taken on the functions of the state." This shift, she contends, represents a fundamental alteration of the liberal democratic nation-state, both in practice and in concept.
The Genesis of the Artificial State: A Historical Perspective
Lepore traces the intellectual lineage of the "artificial state" concept back centuries, but she highlights the contemporary manifestation of this idea in Silicon Valley’s vision for the future. She points to prominent figures, including Elon Musk, whose pronouncements and business ventures, she suggests, echo misinterpretations of science fiction and comic book narratives.
"My beef is the ways in which private corporations have increasingly taken on the functions of the state," Lepore reiterated. "No one consented to that. This has been a kind of gradual, largely accidental transformation of how many nation-states around the world work – it’s happened first in the United States."
While acknowledging that many technological innovations in governance may have begun with well-intentioned aims for efficiency, Lepore asserts that over the past two to three decades, these decisions have become more deliberate, resembling a "usurpation of the role of the nation-state." She notes that numerous tech entrepreneurs openly discuss moving beyond the era of the nation-state, a sentiment that aligns with libertarian futurist ideologies prevalent in the 1990s, which saw the internet as a tool to dismantle national structures.
The Illusion of the Digital Town Hall
Lepore critically examines the notion that platforms like Twitter have become digital town halls, a concept she labels as "bananas" and objectively false. She recounts how, in its early days, Twitter was not presented as a tool for democratic salvation but rather as a casual communication platform. However, as politicians began to leverage Twitter for enhanced reach and engagement, the platform’s role evolved.
By 2012, Twitter had published a "Twitter Politics and Elections Handbook," a guide for political operatives. This marked a shift towards framing the platform as a digital public square, reminiscent of the New England town meeting. Lepore counters this narrative with data, pointing out that at its peak, only a small fraction of Americans actively used Twitter, and an even smaller percentage accounted for the vast majority of political discourse on the platform. This disproportionate representation meant that the discourse on Twitter was not reflective of the electorate but rather of the most politically extreme and hyper-partisan individuals. Consequently, politicians who relied on Twitter for gauging public opinion were receiving highly distorted information.
Lepore emphasizes that while Twitter’s primary goal was business expansion, its unintended consequences fostered an environment where it became a "distortion machine," contributing to the broader trend of the artificial state.
Echoes of the Past: From Macintosh to AI Presidents
The perceived promise of technology to enhance democracy can be traced back to significant cultural moments. Lepore cites Apple’s iconic 1984 Super Bowl advertisement for the Macintosh computer. The ad, with its Nineteen Eighty-Four theme, positioned the Macintosh as a liberator from the perceived totalitarianism of large mainframe computers, symbolizing a new era of personal liberation.
However, Lepore expresses skepticism about the depth of this belief within Apple, suggesting it was primarily clever advertising. While the personal computer undoubtedly enabled new capabilities, she argues it was seldom viewed as an instrument for improving citizenship or functioning within civil society; rather, it was a "cool tool."
Fast forward to recent developments, and Lepore sees concerning parallels. She points to instances like Facebook establishing an "Oversight Board" resembling a Supreme Court, Anthropic hiring a moral philosopher to draft a "constitution" for its AI, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman suggesting an AI president would be a "great idea." These developments, though seemingly disparate, demonstrate how tech companies are adopting the trappings and functions of the nation-state, albeit in a "cartoon version" of the earlier Macintosh narrative, but taken with profound seriousness by their powerful leaders.
The Influence of Science Fiction and Its Misinterpretation
Lepore’s book delves into the rich tradition of science fiction as a lens through which to understand the anxieties surrounding the artificial state. She identifies a literary genre she terms the "parable of the artificial state," where increasingly sophisticated machines take over human functions, including governance, eventually ruling or even eliminating humanity. These narratives, she notes, date back to the 1850s and the early rumblings about industrialism’s consequences.
A pivotal cultural invention of the 19th century, Lepore explains, was the conflation of technological change with progress, often intertwined with Darwinian evolution. This paradigm shift overshadowed earlier notions of progress rooted in moral development or increased freedom. The accelerating pace of technological advancement led to anxieties about machines surpassing human capabilities in all domains, a fear vividly depicted in science fiction.
E.M. Forster’s 1909 short story, "The Machine Stops," serves as a prime example. It envisions a future where humanity lives in isolated cells, their every need met by a benevolent machine, leading to a detachment from the natural world and a loss of human capacity. The story’s climax, where the machine malfunctions, underscores the inherent fragility of such a system. Lepore notes that this narrative feels eerily relevant today, perhaps even more so than in its original context.
Lepore posits that contemporary tech leaders, such as Elon Musk, are "very bad science fiction readers." They often interpret cautionary tales or ambivalent narratives as literal blueprints for the future, failing to grasp the warnings embedded within them. While acknowledging a "technocratic libertarian thread" in some science fiction, Lepore points out that figures like Musk often embrace works whose core messages contradict their stated political beliefs.
The Inherent Flaw: The Artificial State’s Doomed Trajectory
A central thesis of Lepore’s book is that the artificial state, in its current form, is inherently incomplete and destined for failure. This premonition, she argues, is a recurring theme in the science fiction she analyzes. The fundamental tension lies between the artificial state and the natural world.
The construction and maintenance of an artificial state necessitate the alienation and exploitation of the natural world. This destruction, however, undermines the very resources the artificial state requires for its operation. Therefore, Lepore concludes, a habitable planet for humans cannot coexist with the full realization and reliance on the devices of the artificial state. This inherent contradiction is what renders the artificial state unsustainable.
Towards a Democratic Future: Challenging the Artificial State
When asked about the potential defeat of the artificial state, Lepore emphasizes that she offers no prescriptive "playbook." However, she advocates for a return to democratic principles, where decisions are made in consultation with the governed.
The current challenges, she observes, are evident in the local conflicts arising from data center construction. These disputes are exacerbated by the decline of local journalism, a consequence, in part, of social media. Residents are increasingly questioning the rationale behind such developments, demanding transparency regarding energy consumption, water usage, job creation, and environmental impact.
Lepore highlights instances, such as in Salt Lake City, where a significant majority of the population opposed a data center project, yet their elected representatives supported it. This disconnect, she suggests, represents a failure of representation and may eventually carry political costs at the ballot box. The effectiveness of such recourse, however, depends on the continued integrity of democratic functioning.
Re-evaluating Disruptive Innovation
Lepore’s critique of the tech industry’s impact on society predates her current book. More than a decade ago, she published a seminal piece in The New Yorker critiquing Clayton Christensen’s theory of "disruptive innovation," a concept deeply intertwined with TechCrunch’s own "Disrupt" conference.
Looking back, Lepore stands by her assessment that disruptive innovation is primarily a theory of business failure, not a comprehensive explanation of historical change. She reiterates her concern that academic historians have not sufficiently engaged with these ideas, which, she argues, are essentially theories of history presented without rigorous historical methodology. Her research at the time indicated that Christensen’s use of evidence was problematic and his arguments lacked a meaningful understanding of how change actually occurs.
Lepore expresses a desire for greater dialogue between historians and technologists. She believes that technologists and entrepreneurs are genuinely interested in understanding the nature and consequences of their work, and history offers valuable lessons. She uses the analogy of the automobile’s impact on society – the emergence of traffic laws, driver’s licenses, and insurance systems – as an example of how societies develop guardrails for transformative technologies. Lepore hopes for a more robust conversation, not just lectures, but a genuine exchange that can inform the development and integration of new technologies into society.
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