Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know Will AI Take My Job? with Karen Hao
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Sep 10, 2025 
Karen Hao, a reporter and author of Empire of AI, dives into the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on society. She discusses the ethical responsibilities of tech companies and the need for collective action to protect workers, especially in light of recent labor strikes. The conversation also touches on AI's potential in promoting sustainability and the irony of data privacy sacrifices. Hao emphasizes the double-edged nature of AI in the job market, exploring its capacity to create opportunities while also threatening traditional employment.
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Accountability Over Hype
- Karen Hao calls herself in the "AI accountability" camp, not purely optimistic or pessimistic about AI.
- She accepts AI's benefits but criticizes the current corporate direction toward colossal general models.
AI Firms As Modern Empires
- Karen compares modern AI firms to historical empires by how they claim resources and reshape rules to justify extraction.
- She argues they exploit labor and rebrand appropriation as a civilizing mission.
Data Hunger Fuels Power Grab
- Karen says AI needs vastly more data than previous social platforms, creating unprecedented leverage for big firms.
- She warns that data hunger pushes companies to seek acquisitions and to ignore privacy or copyright limits.
