AI companies will fail. We can salvage something from the wreckage | AI (artificial intelligence)
AI companies will fail. We can salvage something from the wreckage | AI (artificial intelligence)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jan/18/tech-ai-bubble-burst-reverse-centaur
Publish Date: 2026-01-18 09:02:00
Source Domain: www.theguardian.com
- Cory Doctorow emphasizes that science fiction writers like himself create parables about present techno-social arrangements rather than predicting the future.
- He disputes the notion that science fiction authors are oracles, especially in the context of AI, and warns against believing that their work represents a detailed futures vision.
- Doctorow describes the concept of “reverse centaurs,” referring to workers who serve as human appendages to uncaring machines, emphasizing AI is designed more to exploit humans rather than replace them.
- He argues that tech companies hyping AI is a strategy to maintain market belief in their perpetual growth, and thereby sustain high valuations to retain key employees.
- Doctorow uses examples from radiology and programming to illustrate how AI is marketed as a disruptive technology that replaces jobs rather than augment them.
- He asserts that AI’s ability to generate fake or dangerous code, and the subsequent burden placed on remaining workers to ensure safety, shows how AI is used to undermine high-wage workers.
- Doctorow critiques AI art, claiming it lacks the deep, communicative intent of human-created art and is used more as a marketing tool than a serious contender in the art world.
- He dismisses the idea of expanding copyright to cover AI training, arguing it would only benefit monopolistic corporations rather than the creative workers they exploit.
- Doctorow acknowledges AI as a speculative bubble driven by financial motives, leading to wasted billions, but suggests some practical tools and skills might emerge post-bubble.
- He advocates for dismantling the financial and corporate structures fueling the AI bubble rather than focusing on individual tools or technological advancements.
