Ben Buchanan

And for all of the flaws of the United States economy, intelligence oversight process and all the debates we could have about this, we do have those kinds of structures. And that, I think, is fundamentally more important for the reason you suggest in the era of tremendous AI systems.

And for all of the flaws of the United States economy, intelligence oversight process and all the debates we could have about this, we do have those kinds of structures. And that, I think, is fundamentally more important for the reason you suggest in the era of tremendous AI systems.

Yeah, I would decompose essentially this question about AI and autocracy or the surveillance state, however you want to define it, into two parts. The first is the China piece of this. How does this play out in a state that is truly in its bones in autocracy and doesn't even make any pretense towards democracy and the like? And I think we can probably agree pretty quickly here. This

Yeah, I would decompose essentially this question about AI and autocracy or the surveillance state, however you want to define it, into two parts. The first is the China piece of this. How does this play out in a state that is truly in its bones in autocracy and doesn't even make any pretense towards democracy and the like? And I think we can probably agree pretty quickly here. This

makes very tangible something that, you know, is probably core to the aspirations of their society of like a level of control that only an AI system could help bring about that I just find terrifying.

makes very tangible something that, you know, is probably core to the aspirations of their society of like a level of control that only an AI system could help bring about that I just find terrifying.

As an aside, I think there's a saying in both Russian and Chinese, something like heaven is high and the emperor is far away, which is like historically, even in those autocracies, there was some kind of space where the state couldn't intrude because of the scale and the breadth of the nation. And It is the case that in those autocracies, I think AI could make the force of government power worse.

As an aside, I think there's a saying in both Russian and Chinese, something like heaven is high and the emperor is far away, which is like historically, even in those autocracies, there was some kind of space where the state couldn't intrude because of the scale and the breadth of the nation. And It is the case that in those autocracies, I think AI could make the force of government power worse.

Then there's a more interesting question in the United States. Basically, what is the relationship between AI and democracy? And I think I share some of the discomfort here. There have been thinkers historically who have said, you know, part of the way is in which we revise our laws, our people break the laws, and there's a space for that.

Then there's a more interesting question in the United States. Basically, what is the relationship between AI and democracy? And I think I share some of the discomfort here. There have been thinkers historically who have said, you know, part of the way is in which we revise our laws, our people break the laws, and there's a space for that.

And I think there is a humanness to our justice system that I wouldn't want to lose. and we tasked the Department of Justice in running a process and thinking about this and coming up with principles for the use of AI in criminal justice.

And I think there is a humanness to our justice system that I wouldn't want to lose. and we tasked the Department of Justice in running a process and thinking about this and coming up with principles for the use of AI in criminal justice.

I think there's, in some cases, advantages to it, like cases are treated alike with the machine, but also I think there's tremendous risk of bias and discrimination and so forth because the systems are flawed, and in some cases because the systems are ubiquitous. And I do think there is a risk of a fundamental risk

I think there's, in some cases, advantages to it, like cases are treated alike with the machine, but also I think there's tremendous risk of bias and discrimination and so forth because the systems are flawed, and in some cases because the systems are ubiquitous. And I do think there is a risk of a fundamental risk

encroachment on rights from the widespread unchecked use of AI in the law enforcement system that we should be very alert to and that I as a citizen have grave concerns about.

encroachment on rights from the widespread unchecked use of AI in the law enforcement system that we should be very alert to and that I as a citizen have grave concerns about.

Yeah, there's a lot to unpack here, so let's just go in order. But basically, bottom line, I think I, in the White House and now post-White House, greatly share a lot of this discomfort.

Yeah, there's a lot to unpack here, so let's just go in order. But basically, bottom line, I think I, in the White House and now post-White House, greatly share a lot of this discomfort.

And I think part of the appeal for something like the export controls is it identifies a choke point that can differentially slow the Chinese down, create space for the United States to have a lead, ideally, in my view, to spend that lead on safety and security.

And I think part of the appeal for something like the export controls is it identifies a choke point that can differentially slow the Chinese down, create space for the United States to have a lead, ideally, in my view, to spend that lead on safety and security.