A few comments on Rezgar Akrawi’s book Capitalist Artificial Intelligence: Challenges Facing the Left and Possible Alternatives.

Dr. Burak Gö-;-rentaş-;-
@burakgorentas

A few comments on Rezgar Akrawi’s book Capitalist Artificial Intelligence: Challenges Facing the Left and Possible Alternatives.

The strongest aspect of the book is its adaptation of Marx’s analysis of capitalism to the age of artificial intelligence. In fact, many of the issues it discusses are no longer unfamiliar to us: monopolistic digital feudalism, constant surveillance, digital surplus value, data exploitation, and mechanisms of digital detention.

In this respect, the book reminds us that artificial intelligence is not merely a technical issue-;- it is also a relationship of economic and social power.

In the section on proposed solutions, we encounter topics that have been widely debated in legal circles in recent years, such as AI systems that respect human rights, avoid discrimination, and operate with transparency and accountability.

Marx’s approach was not simply to interpret the world, but to change it. Akrawi follows this tradition by presenting various proposals for intervention. However, I believe that some of these proposals are highly controversial. In particular, the idea of collective ownership of digital means of production does not appear practically feasible to me. Similarly, I found certain approaches that regard manipulation´-or-the disruption of systems as legitimate within the framework of a “digital strike” to be ethically problematic.

While reading the book, I was frequently reminded of The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. There are significant similarities between the two works regarding surveillance, data, and power relations. Personally, I still find Zuboff’s approach more comprehensive and convincing.

By the way, one admirable detail is that the author has made the book freely accessible. I would recommend it to anyone interested in artificial intelligence, the data economy, and digital capitalism.


https://x.com/burakgorentas/status/2064570112976265313

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