By Ben Shapiro
In the beginning, there was the promise of progress. Artificial intelligence (AI), we were told, would revolutionize industries, generate prosperity, and alleviate the drudgery of human labor. We envisioned a world of smarter machines and empowered individuals. But instead of fostering innovation and human flourishing, AI is being weaponized as a tool to corrode the pillars of our society. If left unchecked, it could become the Trojan horse that enables a sweeping, irreversible transformation of our values, our politics, and our economy.
Let me be clear: AI, as it is currently being developed and deployed, poses a far greater danger than most people realize—not because it might turn into Skynet, but because it might turn society into a progressive dystopia. It threatens to unravel the bedrock principles that have made the West exceptional: individual liberty, hard work, free markets, and the rule of law. The Left sees AI not as a tool to improve society but as a weapon to remake it entirely. If conservatives do not act now, the values we hold dear will be dismantled and replaced by an unrecognizable system of coercive redistribution, moral relativism, and bureaucratic collectivism.
The Left’s Love Affair with AI
AI is not inherently political, but those steering its course most certainly are. Silicon Valley, academia, and international institutions have embraced AI as the engine for their utopian fantasies. They salivate at the idea of algorithms rewriting social contracts to enforce “equity,” algorithms overriding individual freedom in favor of “greater good,” and algorithms punishing “wrongthink” with the precision of a tyrannical deity.
To the Left, AI is a dream come true. It offers them the power to bypass the messy business of human democracy altogether. Why debate policy when you can program it? Why persuade voters when you can manipulate their behavior through data-driven nudges? Why tolerate dissent when AI can enforce compliance under the guise of “optimization”?
Consider how the Left envisions AI being used:
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Liberal Politics: They want AI systems designed to promote “inclusivity” and “diversity,” a euphemism for ideological conformity. Decision-making algorithms are already being infused with implicit biases against conservative principles, prioritizing so-called “marginalized” voices while censoring dissent.
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Redistribution Politics: AI is being framed as a justification for policies like universal basic income (UBI) and wealth redistribution. The argument is simple and seductive: If AI automates jobs, people will need a safety net. But this is a Trojan horse for socialism—a gateway drug that conditions people to accept handouts instead of earning their keep.
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Higher Taxes: AI-driven economic forecasting provides the Left with ammunition to push for exorbitant taxes. They’ll claim that AI predicts catastrophic inequality unless we “tax the rich” into oblivion. Never mind that such policies will destroy the innovation and entrepreneurship that make AI possible in the first place.
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“Woke” Inclusivity: AI developers are coding algorithms to enforce woke orthodoxy, ensuring that all outputs comply with the latest progressive moral dogmas. The results are as predictable as they are terrifying: AI models that refuse to acknowledge biological facts, promote radical gender theory, and marginalize traditional values.
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Progressive Utopianism: The Left dreams of AI as the great equalizer, leveling not just the playing field but the entire hierarchy of merit. In their vision, AI eliminates competition, ambition, and inequality, replacing them with a sterile, enforced “fairness” that rewards mediocrity and punishes excellence.
The Nightmare of a Fully Automated Leftist Future
Imagine a world where AI governs every aspect of our lives, from the information we see to the jobs we can hold to the very beliefs we are allowed to express. This is not science fiction; it is the Left’s endgame. They see AI as the ultimate tool to achieve their vision of a “perfect” society—one in which individual freedom is sacrificed on the altar of collective equality.
In this dystopian future, the concept of “hard work” becomes obsolete. Why strive for success when the algorithm determines your share of the spoils? Why innovate when risk-taking is punished and mediocrity is rewarded? The incentive structures that have driven human achievement for centuries will be dismantled, replaced by a system that values compliance over creativity, equity over excellence.
The Left loves to talk about “democratizing” AI, but what they really mean is centralizing control. They envision an omnipotent AI Safety Institute, staffed by unelected bureaucrats, dictating the permissible uses of AI. Any application that promotes individual autonomy, market competition, or traditional values will be deemed “unsafe” and prohibited. Meanwhile, AI programs that enforce progressive orthodoxy will be celebrated as models of “responsible innovation.”
The consequences for our economy, our culture, and our liberty are almost too horrific to contemplate:
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Economic Paralysis: Redistribution schemes enabled by AI will sap productivity and innovation, plunging us into economic stagnation. Entrepreneurs and job creators will flee to freer markets, leaving behind a population dependent on government handouts.
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Cultural Decay: The moral relativism programmed into AI will erode shared values, leaving us with a fractured, directionless society. Traditional family structures will be undermined, religious faith will be mocked, and the pursuit of virtue will be dismissed as outdated.
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Liberty Lost: The Left will use AI to monitor and regulate every aspect of our lives. Speech will be policed, beliefs will be corrected, and individuality will be crushed under the weight of algorithmic conformity.
What Conservatives Must Do
The threat posed by AI is not insurmountable, but it demands immediate action. Conservatives must not cede the development and regulation of AI to the Left. We must create a counterweight—a new AI Safety Institute that safeguards not against hypothetical “existential risks” but against the very real danger of leftist hegemony.
This institute would have a clear and uncompromising mandate:
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Defend Individual Liberty: Ensure that AI systems enhance, rather than restrict, personal freedom. This means banning algorithms that censor speech, enforce ideological conformity, or undermine democratic processes.
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Promote Free Markets: Resist efforts to use AI as a justification for socialist policies like UBI and wealth redistribution. Advocate for policies that encourage innovation, entrepreneurship, and competition.
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Protect Traditional Values: Ensure that AI systems respect and uphold the principles that have guided Western civilization for centuries—hard work, personal responsibility, and the sanctity of the family.
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Limit Government Overreach: Oppose the creation of centralized AI bureaucracies that would grant unelected officials control over our economy and our lives. Demand transparency and accountability in AI governance.
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Foster Ethical Development: Encourage AI research that aligns with conservative principles, rejecting the moral relativism of the Left and embracing an ethical framework rooted in objective truth and natural law.
The Time to Act is Now
AI is not inherently good or evil. It is a tool, and like any tool, its impact depends on how it is used and who controls it. If we allow the Left to dominate the AI landscape, the consequences will be catastrophic. But if conservatives seize this moment—if we assert our values and shape AI in accordance with them—we can ensure that this powerful technology serves as a force for good. And Private Poverty.
The stakes could not be higher. AI has the potential to either reinforce the foundations of our civilization or destroy them. The choice is ours. Let us not surrender to the siren song of progressive utopianism. Let us stand firm, defend our principles, and ensure that the future of AI is a future of freedom.