U.S. Politics and AI

Written by: Gabriel León 🇻🇪

Laptop with ChatGPT opened in a web browser (Isai Amaya-Diaz)

One of the biggest jumps we have made technologically has been in Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

NASA defines AI as a “computer system that can perform complex tasks normally done by human reasoning, decision-making, creating, etc.”

A concept that can seem daunting and intriguing at the same time, AI has become a staple in the lives of many and its use is constantly being fiercely debated, especially in academia. The integrity of people’s work is under more scrutiny than ever before. We live in an age where ChatGPT or Google Gemini can write an essay in seconds or code quicker than ever. 

AI has also put people’s jobs at risk, with the World Economic Forum (WEF) estimating 92 million jobs will be lost due to AI. As daunting as this may sound, the WEF estimates that the number of jobs that will disappear will be eclipsed by the number of jobs that are created, some 170 million by 2030.

When we take a step back and observe technological advancements historically, we have adapted pretty well to change. Major advancements such as computers or cell phones require society to adapt and integrate a new technology as seamlessly as possible. 

AI has the potential to be another helper that makes work and daily life easier, but this will only come with the proper regulation of such technology. Given recent advancements in AI, it is of utmost importance to acknowledge the impact these advancements have had on our government and political landscape. 

According to AI.gov, the U.S. is striving to “achieve global dominance” in AI because “whoever has the largest AI ecosystem will set the global standards and reap broad economic and security benefits.” Here, we can draw parallels to other technological advancements throughout U.S. history.  

A prominent example is nuclear weapons. The U.S. government had a similar goal, to dominate the nuclear arms race because whoever had the largest arsenal would control global standards while reaping the economic and security benefits. Rhetoric that is strikingly similar to what we are seeing with AI.

Since his return to office, President Donald Trump has passed six executive orders regarding AI. 

His orders cover a wide range of topics, from advancing AI education for American youth, an order outlining a policy designed to “promote AI literacy among Americans by promoting the integration of AI into education [...] providing comprehensive AI training for educators, and fostering early exposure to AI concepts to develop an AI-ready workforce,” to prevent woke AI in the federal government.

How could AI possibly be “woke”?

In this context, President Trump prefers to keep AI free of “concepts like critical race theory, transgenderism, unconscious bias, intersectionality, and systemic racism, and discrimination on the basis of race or sex,” continuing his administration's attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Erasing these concepts would only set us back as a society because they have been essential in educating people of all ages about oppressed communities. 

On Truth Social, President Trump’s social media platform, the president has posted a slew of AI videos since holding office again. President Trump posted an AI-generated video of former President Barack Obama being arrested, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries with a mustache and sombrero, a video of himself dropping feces on protests from a fighter jet, and has regularly used AI-generated photos of himself to promote his agenda. 

While many of us can look at these videos or photos and acknowledge how ridiculous they are, there is a massive portion of the populace that finds them inspiring. AI needs to be properly regulated to preserve our national security and ensure that it is being used in the best way possible for the betterment of our nation. 

However, with this administration in charge of AI, the prospects of how AI will be used are incredibly concerning.