Prof G Markets Are We Building AI for Progress or Power? — ft. Daron Acemoglu
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Oct 24, 2025 
In this discussion, Daron Acemoglu, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and MIT professor, dives deep into the implications of AI on society. He rates AI’s impact negatively, arguing that it can exacerbate inequalities. Acemoglu distinguishes between harmful automation and AI as a communication tool, emphasizing the need for proactive regulation to ensure technology benefits everyone. He also warns about the erosion of U.S. institutional strength and stresses the importance of academic freedom for innovation. His insights highlight the urgent need for balanced institutions to navigate the future.
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AI's Promise Is Misdirected By Current Pace
- Daron Acemoglu warns AI is transformative but currently headed toward harmful outcomes due to speed, concentration, and automation focus.
- He argues a deliberative approach and different priorities (human-complementary AI) could flip the trajectory.
Automation Focus Risks Jobs And Democracy
- Using AI mainly for automation risks smaller productivity gains and concentrated job losses for vulnerable groups.
- As a communication technology, centralized AI also threatens democracy, dissent, and opinion diversity.
Domain Data, Not GPUs, Will Limit Useful AI
- The scarce resource for useful AI will be high-quality domain-specific data and expertise, not just compute or GPUs.
- Foundation models must be combined with domain models to effectively aid electricians, accountants, journalists, and others.
