281. The Smoking Gun of Techno-Capitalism (ft. Meredith Whittaker)
Sep 7, 2023
auto_awesome
Meredith Whittaker, a historical analyst, discusses the link between Charles Babbage and plantation logics of control in computing. She also explores the political economy of 'open' AI and the concentration of power in the tech industry. The chapter highlights surveillance, the dominance of big tech, challenges in AI development, and the desire to control people's value.
Early computational design was influenced by plantation logics of control, aiming to replace mathematicians with machines and perpetuate labor division.
Surveillance is a fundamental power relation in AI, deeply embedded in its design and operation, with big tech companies exacerbating concentration of power.
The concept of 'open AI' obscures the centralization and control exerted by tech giants, demanding a critical understanding of the political economy surrounding AI.
Understanding the material realities of AI is crucial in assessing its implications, with big tech companies controlling the resources and infrastructure that shape its capabilities and impact on society.
Deep dives
Babbage's Vision and Labor Control
Charles Babbage, the father of computing, played a crucial role in the development of early computational design and logics. His engines, although never built, served as prototypes for modern computation. Babbage's designs were influenced by labor division systems on plantations. His goal was to replace the labor of mathematicians through the use of machines, automating mathematical processes and surveilling workers. Babbage's vision was rooted in utilitarianism and control of labor, seeing workers as commodities to be controlled and paid less. His designs reflected the ideologies of emerging capitalists during the 19th century, seeking to maintain productivity and preserve capitalism. This analysis sheds light on the historical and ideological foundations of early computation and its connection to labor control.
Reframing Surveillance and Privacy in AI
The discourse around AI often overlooks the core issue of surveillance and the power dynamics involved. The history of AI and the collaboration between the tech sector and government agencies demonstrate the importance of understanding surveillance as a power relation. The materialist analysis of AI reveals that privacy concerns cannot be divorced from the political economy surrounding AI technology. Surveillance is deeply embedded in the design and operation of these systems, and the monopoly control of big tech companies exacerbates the concentration of power and surveillance capabilities. By reframing the discourse on surveillance and privacy, a more comprehensive understanding of AI and its implications can be achieved.
The Myth of Open AI
The concept of 'open AI' is often celebrated in discourse, promoting ideas of transparency, collaboration, and democratic access to AI technologies. However, a materialist analysis reveals the concentration of power within big tech companies and the political economic dynamics at play. The AI pipeline, from design to operation and maintenance, is shaped by the interests and dominance of these companies. The ideology of open AI obscures the reality of centralization and the control exerted by a few tech giants. Understanding the political economy of AI is crucial in critically assessing the claims of openness and ensuring a more equitable future for AI technology.
The Material Realities of AI
AI is a complex and resource-intensive technology that encompasses various components, including data sets, algorithms, and infrastructure. A materialist analysis of AI reveals the power dynamics and political economy at play behind these technologies. Big tech companies, with their monopolistic tendencies, control the resources and infrastructure necessary for the development and deployment of AI systems. In turn, this concentration of power shapes the capabilities and limitations of AI, as well as its impact on society. By understanding the material realities of AI, we can critically examine its implications and strive for more equitable and accountable use of this technology.
AI as a Tool of Social Control
The podcast episode explores the use of AI as a tool for social control and the dangers associated with it. The speaker argues that the current hype and narrative surrounding AI serve to distract from the fact that it is essentially a technology of labor and social control. The podcast emphasizes that AI is being deployed in ways that surveil individuals, predict behavior, and exert authority over consciousness, leading to an increase in social inequality and control in the hands of a few powerful companies.
The Illusion of Open Source AI
The podcast highlights the fallacy of open source AI by examining frameworks like PyTorch and TensorFlow. While these frameworks are open source, the core maintainers are employed by companies like Facebook (Meta) and Google, allowing them to influence the direction of the frameworks. Additionally, proprietary software like CUDA by NVIDIA plays a crucial role in AI development. The podcast challenges the notion of open source AI, asserting that these tools are ultimately controlled and defined by the companies that create and maintain them, making them unsuitable for democratization or leveling the playing field.
The Business of AI and the Tech Monopoly
The podcast delves into the business aspect of AI and its connection to the tech industry's monopoly power. It notes that the AI industry thrives on enterprise-grade applications, catering to corporations, institutions, and governments rather than individuals. Examples of enterprise AI offerings and the marketing tactics employed by companies like OpenAI (Microsoft) are discussed, highlighting their intent to retain control and monetize the technology. The podcast raises concerns about the consolidation of power and the need for a redistributive policy to address the social and economic impacts of AI's deployment and the domination by a few tech giants.
We are joined by one of our favorite friends — Meredith Whittaker — for a giant discussion that bridges her two latest articles. First a historical analysis of Charles Babbage and the smoking gun that directly links plantation logics of control with the industrial design of computation. Then a political economy of “open” AI and the material power that dominates the entire stack for these systems.
••• Follow Meredith: https://twitter.com/mer__edith
••• Origin Stories: Plantations, Computers, and Industrial Control | Meredith Whittaker https://logicmag.io/supa-dupa-skies/origin-stories-plantations-computers-and-industrial-control/
••• Open (For Business): Big Tech, Concentrated Power, and the Political Economy of Open AI | David Gray Widder, Meredith Whittaker, Sarah Myers West https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4543807
Subscribe to hear more analysis and commentary in our premium episodes every week! https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills
Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (www.twitter.com/jathansadowski) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.twitter.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (www.twitter.com/braunestahl)
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode