We should all be Luddites
5 hours ago
- #AI Ethics
- #Luddites
- #Technological Justice
- The term 'Luddites' was historically misused to describe fear of technology, but they actually opposed the social and economic impacts of industrialization controlled by a few.
- The Luddites were skilled workers who resisted machines that concentrated power and wealth, not technology itself.
- Today, AI is reshaping society, and like the Luddites, we must question who controls and benefits from technological change.
- Journalists should avoid corporate AI hype, using clear language (e.g., 'error' instead of 'hallucination') and focusing on human impacts rather than innovation narratives.
- Academics must study AI's systemic effects on labor markets, power dynamics, and social structures, not just productivity metrics.
- Policymakers need to regulate AI deployment to ensure economic justice, worker protections, and democratic oversight, not just technical safety.
- Educators must resist AI-driven commodification of learning, preserving critical thinking and creativity over convenience and automation.
- A modern Luddite ethic rejects techno-determinism, demanding technology serves collective welfare, not just corporate interests.