AI: stealing human knowledge for private profit, and its effects on inequality and human learning

Friday, 7 August 2026 - 10:00am to 10:30am

Jose Ramos talks with Jacques about the massive invasion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into all areas of our daily lives and systems and the profound implications of this takeover.

As Jose points out, AI steals from our common human knowledge selling it back to us for private profit, rapidly and hugely increasing already existing inequality.

Even so, the 'intelligence' in 'Artificial Intelligence' is not intelligence at all. It is a misnomer, and human intelligence is quite a different thing - it is experiential, embodied, relational and responsive to the world on an ongoing basis. We need to guard against the negative effects of AI on human learning and understanding and on 'live' human intelligence itself.

More broadly, we need to protect the commons of human knowledge and keep it in public hands, while increasing the transparency and oversight of how AI systems are operating.

Doctorow, Cory (2025) Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got WQorse and What To Do About It London: Verso

Doctorow, Cory (2026) The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI London: Verso

Hao, Karen (2025) Empire of AI: Inside the reckless race for total domination London: Allen Lane

Yudkowsky, E & Soares, N (2025) If anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: ther case against superintelligent AI  London: The Bodley Head

Friday 10:00am to 10:30am
Think Again offers weekly conversations and reflections about current events, trends and public pronouncements on contemporary and emerging issues. The show moves beyond what we read and hear via the public and ‘social’ media, to invite alternative possibilities to guide our thinking, living and organising.

Presenter

Jennifer Borrell & Jacques Boulet

Topic