Get Smart, stay safe

In his farewell address from the White House on Jan 15, then US president Joe Biden referred to former US president Dwight Eisenhower's memorable 1961 speech, in which he warned the people of the United States of the dangers of the military-industrial complex assuming enormous power. Eisenhower had stated: "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."

The reference to Eisenhower was not out of place. Biden mentioned the disproportionate power currently held by the owners of Big Tech companies such as Google, X, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Apple, among others. On Jan 15, Biden said: "… six decades later, I'm equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country as well. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power … The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit … Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is the most consequential technology of our time — perhaps of all time. Nothing offers more profound possibilities and risks for our economy and our security, our society, our very — for humanity … We must make sure AI is safe and trustworthy and good for all humankind."

It is essential to mention that despite all the warnings, the political power of the US continues to be dominated by billionaires. Regarding the military-industrial complex, dozens of think tanks have ideologically lobbied for the arms producers by creating artificial threats to lead the country to war, such as the ones in Afghanistan or Iraq. They seek to justify a defense budget that is close to $1 trillion, which feeds the greed of the arms industry.

Big Tech companies adopt the same "modus operandi", creating an extensive network of think tanks that defend their interests against fair regulation by society. In the name of "freedom of expression", they make a lot of money by trying to engage people through fake news. Big Tech companies are accomplices to political attacks in various parts of the world, participating in hybrid wars and color revolutions against the enemies of the country that hosts them.

It is a shame that Biden mentioned the power of Big Tech in the last days of his term. For the four years he was president, he did a lot to support tech giants in the US, protecting them from global competition and creating industrial and technological policies such as the CHIPS and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act, which are granting billions of dollars in subsidies to the sector. The Biden administration also imposed protectionist measures by denying access to advanced semiconductors to China, imposing a 100 percent tariff on electric vehicles produced by Chinese companies, and even suppressing the TikTok app in the US.

On Feb 10 and 11, government leaders, companies, researchers and civil society organizations attended the AI Action Summit in Paris to draw guidelines for developing AI internationally. The final document listed some non-binding principles, such as promoting AI accessibility to reduce digital divides; ensuring AI is open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy, taking into account international frameworks for all; and reinforcing international cooperation to promote coordination in international governance, among others. The document was backed by 60 signatories, including France, China, India, Brazil, Japan, the African Union and Canada. Unfortunately, as the US government's support for Big Tech is a bipartisan issue, US delegates refused to support the final declaration.

As we can see, the guiding principles are neutral and do not seek to harm any specific company or country. They aim to defend the parameters so that the development of AI does not turn against individuals and society. In addition, the document presupposes creating a minimum level of governance to encourage cooperation and regulate the development standards of this disruptive technology.

During the conference, US Vice-President JD Vance warned against the EU's regulatory approach, stating that "excessive regulation of the AI sector could kill a transformative industry". The US and the United Kingdom declined to sign a global AI safety declaration at the summit. However, behind the defense of freedom of creation is the maintenance of the status quo that benefits US companies, particularly Big Techs' interest in maintaining their power and excessive profits.

Given the enormous problems facing humanity and the immense possibilities for applying AI, this disruptive technology cannot be the object of selfish actions that seek to extend the hegemony of the US into an increasingly multilateral world. Nobody can cover the sun with a sieve. International cooperation is always the best way forward.

The author is a professor of international political economy at Sao Paulo State University in Brazil. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.