Historian critiques Silicon Valley’s ‘artificial state’ framing in AI discourse

Historian Jill Lepore, in an interview with TechCrunch’s *Equity* podcast, argues that Silicon Valley’s leaders often frame their products and initiatives as if they are forming new governments, blurring the line between technological advancement and political governance. Lepore’s forthcoming book, *The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State*, expands on this thesis, positioning tech companies as de facto institutions that displace traditional democratic functions.

Lepore cites examples such as Twitter’s former slogan, “town hall in your pocket,” and Anthropic’s “Claude constitution” to illustrate how tech rhetoric adopts the language and aspirations of governance. She also references Sam Altman’s remarks about an “AI president” as emblematic of this trend, suggesting that AI leaders mistakenly equate technological progress with political progress.

Drawing from literary and historical sources, Lepore connects Silicon Valley’s ambitions to E.M. Forster’s 1909 sci-fi story *The Machine Stops*, which she describes as reading like “the diary of a very unhappy YouTuber.” This comparison underscores her view that the “artificial state” is ultimately unsustainable and risks replicating the failures of utopian technocratic fantasies.

Lepore’s critique extends to the displacement of local news by platforms like Facebook and the distortion of public discourse on social media, arguing that these developments reflect a broader shift where tech companies assume roles traditionally held by democratic institutions. She warns that this trend is not merely aspirational but actively undermines the foundations of governance.