How much influence do AI companies have in the White House? And how did they get that influence?
These questions need to be answered.
Recently, President Trump signed an executive order that would override any regulations at the state level with a more hands-off federal policy. This comes on the heels of a New York Times story listing numerous apparent conflicts of interest by the White House AI Czar, David Sacks: 708 tech investments, including at least 449 stakes in companies with ties to artificial intelligence that could be aided by the administration’s policies. If the growth of AI leads to his direct enrichment, he’s incentivized to make sure the companies get what they want–and blocking regulation would seem high on that list.
In a healthy democracy, laws and regulations should be made with the best interests of the public in mind, not by someone with a stake in what’s being regulated looking out for what will make companies and investors richer.
When systems are rigged to benefit the wealthy few, we the people lose.