In my latest Substack Live conversation, I was happy to talk to my friend and former Rantt Media collaborator Greg Fish. Greg is a Ukrainian-American writer, computer scientist, international radio contributor, and author of the Cyberpunk Survival Guide. We dove into how the advances in AI and the shifting tech landscape are colliding with our politics in profound ways.
We talked about the rightward shift in Silicon Valley, how generative AI has supercharged disinformation, and why tech leaders like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel are increasingly embracing authoritarian politics. Greg brought his technical background and historical perspective to break down how algorithms exploit our worst impulses, why Palantir’s partnership with the Trump Administration is alarming, and how far too many of today’s tech titans seem determined to enable authoritarianism.
Despite the unsettling realities we unpacked — from AI-driven dark patterns to Trump’s attempts to consolidate surveillance power — we also talked about why authoritarian overreach tends to backfire. With Trump’s approval ratings sinking and historical context on our side, this moment, while dangerous, is not hopeless.
This was an insightful conversation about where tech is taking our politics, what risks we face, and why resilience and vigilance remain key. Hope you enjoy it!
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