AI vs Maga: Populists alarmed by Trump’s embrace of AI, Big Tech

Last week, Melania Trump praised artificial intelligence during an event at the White House, standing alongside influential figures from Silicon Valley. She described AI as potentially being "the greatest engine of progress in the history of the United States of America." However, just a short distance away, Republican Senator Josh Hawley delivered a starkly contrasting message to an audience of MAGA supporters. Hawley voiced his apprehension, stating that AI poses a threat to the liberties of the average citizen and could jeopardize the very fabric of democracy. He remarked, "The problem with the AI revolution as it’s currently going is that it only entrenches the power of the people who are already the most powerful people in the world." His concerns centered on the possibility that AI could replace essential jobs, affecting workers in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and construction. Despite Hawley being a vocal critic of Big Tech, his sentiments resonate with an increasing number of conservative voices, even as the Trump administration actively dismantles regulations to promote the rapid integration of AI technologies. This divergence of opinion is indicative of a brewing conflict within the MAGA movement. At the recent National Conservatism Conference, which serves as a key ideological hub for the MAGA movement, evangelical leaders, strategists, and scholars expressed their disquiet regarding the implications of advanced AI. Geoffrey Miller, an evolutionary psychologist, highlighted the widespread concern over potential job losses and the impact on families and education systems, even in the absence of fully autonomous superintelligence.