#1765 AI Capitalism Will Not Deliver an AI Utopia
Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
Do current AI products deliver economic value?
Reporter assesses real productivity gains, MIT study doubts, and whether AI tools translate to profits for firms.
Air Date: 1/17/2026
There's a lot to be concerned about with AI but the biggest concern is the economic system we have in place at the moment when AI is being introduced. Capitalism is not a good steward of new and potentially dangerous technology, as we've seen from Zuckerberg's move-fast-and-break-things era of social media that he later recognized as having triggered a genocide. When the profit drive necessitates light-speed growth, ethical and safety considerations are the first things to be jettisoned and things get broken.
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KEY POINTS
KP 1: What Sam Altman Doesn't Want You To Know - More Perfect Union - Air Date 12-19-25
KP 2: The AI Bubble Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-28-25
KP 3: The Hidden Forces Driving the AI Bubble Part 1 - Instant Genius - Air Date 11-13-25
KP 4: Desperate OpenAI Turns To Erotica - Novara Media - Air Date 10-16-25
KP 5: Avoiding Fake News in the AI Era Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-8-25
(00:48:47) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
On why capitalism is the biggest problem of AI
DEEPER DIVES
(00:57:14) SECTION A: AL BUBBLE
A1: So Are We in an AI Bubble? Here Are Clues to Look for Part 1 - Planet Money - Air Date 1-9-25
A2: The Hidden Forces Driving the AI Bubble Part 2 - Instant Genius - Air Date 11-13-25
A3: The AI Bubble Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-28-25
A4: AI Robot Slaves and Other CES Miracles Part 1 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 1-12-26
A5: So Are We in an AI Bubble? Here Are Clues to Look for Part 2 - Planet Money - Air Date 1-9-25
(01:39:59) SECTION B: PORN AND SLOP
B1: Avoiding Fake News in the AI Era Part 2 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-8-25
B2: Deep Fakes, Data Centers, and AI Slop — Are We Cooked Part 1 - On the Media - Air Date 12-19-25
B3: Meet The Women Being Deepfaked Into Porn by AI - BBC - Air Date 9-4-24
B4: Digital Stimulation AI and Porn - The Economist - Air Date 12-10-25
B5: How AI Porn Isolates Us with Noelle Perdue Part 1 - The 404 Media Podcast - Air Date 12-9-25
B6: AI Robot Slaves and Other CES Miracles Part 2 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 1-12-26
B7: How AI Porn Isolates Us with Noelle Perdue Part 2 - The 404 Media Podcast - Air Date 12-9-25
(02:30:14) SECTION C: REGULATION
C1: Two Proposed Bills Cover AI and Deep Fake Pornography in Indiana - WTHR - Air Date 1-2-26
C2: Deep Fakes, Data Centers, and AI Slop — Are We Cooked Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 12-19-25
C3: AI 1 — Humanity 0 - Today, Explained - Air Date 12-17-25
SHOW IMAGE CREDITS
Description: Composite image of a high-tech robot running on a road while money falls into flames behind it.
Credit: Internal design. Images via Pixabay | Pixabay license
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
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