AI Grift Series — Part 1 — Mass Surveillance

After decades of development, multiple hype cycles, and several "AI Winters," Artificial Intelligence is at a critical juncture. According to the prevailing narratives, there are two divergent paths for AI: one leading to dystopia, the other to utopia.

On the one hand, AI promises to deliver unlimited productivity improvements, freeing human labor from tedious tasks and enabling more creative, fulfilling pursuits. AI could potentially solve humanity's most complex challenges, uncovering groundbreaking solutions hidden in massive datasets.

On the other hand, AI facilitates the mass production of content at negligible cost, creating fertile ground for misinformation and propaganda. Additionally, it amplifies the power of mass surveillance, following the trajectory of earlier technologies like telecommunications and the Internet.

Tracked and Traced

The practice of surveillance, or systematic observation has a long history, intertwined with power. From ancient emperors deploying spies to monitor dissent, to medieval rulers using informants to control their courts, surveillance has long existed as a tool for maintaining authority. Modern advancements in technology has transformed this localized practice into a global infrastructure that systematically strips individuals of their right to privacy.

In the 20th century, during the rise of nation states and world wars, governments established intelligence networks such as Britain's MI5 and the United States' Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI). Wiretapping became a key surveillance method, often conducted without warrants or consent. This invasive practice was justified in the name of the "greater good," such as catching criminals or safeguarding national security.

During the Cold War era, state surveillance expanded dramatically. The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) grew in scope, with its activities justified by the fight against Communism (The Red Scare). Programs like COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program) targeted civil rights activists, anti-war protesters, and even cultural figures like Martin Luther King Jr. In the 1970s, the Church Committee — a U.S. Senate investigation — exposed decades of unconstitutional surveillance practices, revealing a troubling history of government overreach against its own citizens.

So Many Eyes

The late 20th century ushered in advancements like cell phones and the Internet, providing even more opportunities for surveillance. Intelligence agencies began tapping not just phone calls but also text messages, emails, and other online activities — often without cause and without users' knowledge.

The September 11 terrorist attacks marked a paradigm shift. In response, the PATRIOT Act authorized unprecedented surveillance powers, transforming targeted observation into mass surveillance. Until whistleblower Edward Snowden's revelations in 2013, most Americans were unaware of the scale of this intrusion into their privacy.

Big Tech Wants A Piece

In more recent years, big tech companies have become embedded into the machinations of mass surveillance, blurring the lines between private enterprise and state power. One of the largest technology companies, Microsoft, has played a significant role in this evolution, entering into contracts with government that would provide the technological tools to carry out these surveillance programs.

These tools include Microsoft's Azure cloud platform and AI technologies such as facial recognition and data analytics. Microsoft's involvement extends beyond the U.S., with partnerships worldwide, including with governments accused of human rights abuses. While Microsoft publicly claims to align with human rights principles, its actions suggest otherwise, underscoring the need for regulation and reform.

Shadows In The Walls: Convenience at a Cost

Amazon's Alexa device highlights the significant trade-offs individuals are willing to make between privacy and convenience. Users effectively invite a form of constant surveillance, or wiretapping, into what has traditionally been regarded as a sanctuary of privacy. This compromises a principle deeply rooted in human rights, including protections enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, which uphold the home as a place shielded from intrusion. Amazon has faced scrutiny on how it collects, stores and uses data from Alexa and other devices. Many users are unaware of how much information is being gathered or how to delete recordings permanently. Alexa and similar devices contribute to what privacy advocates call the "normalization of surveillance." By embedding microphones, cameras, and AI assistants into daily life, companies like Amazon make constant data collection seem routine and unremarkable.

AI Ramps It Up

Recently, OpenAI announced new product enhancements, including "advanced voice mode" and features involving cellphone camera integration. Simultaneously, both OpenAI and Anthropic secured deals with the U.S. government to research and test their AI models. Notably, OpenAI appointed ex-NSA director Paul M. Nakasone to its board of directors in April 2024.

In November 2024, Anthropic partnered with Palantir — a company synonymous with mass surveillance — and Amazon AWS to use its Claude language model for processing classified government data. These developments starkly contrast Anthropic's public messaging about AI safety and existential risk, raising serious concerns about corporate-government alliances and their implications for privacy.

A Fork In The Road

The marriage of Artificial Intelligence with mass surveillance presents a stark crossroads for humanity. AI's power to analyze and act on vast datasets is unparalleled, but its use in targeting, propaganda, and pervasive surveillance raises critical ethical questions. The technologies once hailed as tools for liberation are increasingly turned into instruments of control, blurring the lines between convenience, safety, and oppression.

As citizens, we must resist the normalization of surveillance and demand transparency, accountability, and regulation of both governments and corporations wielding these tools. The path AI takes — utopian or dystopian — will depend on the values we embed in its design, deployment, and governance. Without concerted effort, we risk surrendering not just our privacy, but our agency, to systems that view humanity as data points rather than individuals.

History reminds us that unchecked power leads to abuse. The revelations of COINTELPRO, the PATRIOT Act, and the Snowden leaks were not aberrations but predictable outcomes of systems built without oversight. Today, the stakes are even higher. The question we face is not just whether AI will be used for good or ill, but whether we as a society will demand that it serves humanity's collective interests rather than undermining them.

The choice is ours to make — while we still can.