Transforming AI: The Politics of Prediction
In The Means of Prediction, Oxford economist Maximilian Kasy challenges our understanding of AI, revealing how it inherently benefits tech giants while often marginalizing vulnerable communities.
Key Insights:
- Profit over People: Kasy argues that AI outcomes, like biased mortgage approvals, reflect deliberate design choices prioritizing profit.
- Control and Class Power: Echoing Marx, he positions the “means of prediction”—data, algorithms, and infrastructure—as new tools of class power.
- Welfare & Hiring Bias: Algorithms often automate discrimination, denying opportunities to already marginalized groups based on flawed data.
Kasy offers a roadmap for reclaiming democratic control of these systems through:
- Regulations to mitigate harmful practices.
- Taxes to address social costs.
- Data trusts for collective community management.
Join the conversation: How can we as individuals and professionals advocate for ethical AI? Let’s empower change together! Share your thoughts below!
