The article discusses the Pentagon’s significant investment in artificial intelligence (AI) amidst concerns about an impending industry bubble. Contracts worth up to $200 million were awarded to major AI firms like OpenAI and Google, framed as essential for maintaining U.S. national security and strategic advantage over adversaries like China. This reliance on AI firms has led to a new wave of venture capitalists influencing national defense.
However, the article warns that as the AI industry faces potential financial instability, key figures within this sector may begin advocating for government bailouts, invoking national security as justification. Commentary highlights the self-serving nature of this narrative, suggesting that public funds will ultimately be used to prop up tech oligarchs instead of addressing broader societal issues.
The piece further explores the Defense Production Act (DPA) of 1950, noting its potential use in seizing control over AI resources for national security. This could allow the government to dictate terms and possibly reshape the structure of AI industry ownership, shifting power from a wealthy few to public interests.
The author calls for a reimagining of national security that prioritizes democratic principles and the interests of the many over the elite, advocating for a strategic use of the DPA to balance power dynamics within the tech sector.
In summary, the article critiques the intertwining of national security and oligarchical control in the AI industry, urging for a collective rethinking of authority and economic power in the face of looming crises.
