data. In some instances, over-collection of data was explained as “unintentional” and that it had “since been rectified.” It is difficult to know what exactly happens at this center, since its mission is “classified.” In a description of a national security and surveillance system run by the NSA, perhaps at this Utah Center, a cybersecurity expert stated that “most of [the data] sits and is never looked at by anyone.” Are we to ignore the collection of our data and its storage, and be comforted by statements that no one ever looks at it anyway? AI can look at it, and does look at it, quickly and easily.

AI used for “perception management”

 Although the big push for AI everywhere appears to be happening right now, looking back at the authoritarian actions which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, we can see the hallmarks of the use of AI to collect data, shape thinking (Dr. Fauci is the greatest expert on COVID-19, he will tell us what to do), and shape behavior (I am so lucky to be able to get my shots). The public health establishment had an unprecedented involvement and control of our everyday lives and our thinking. There were many phases of control, from the lock downs to social distancing, forbidden meetings, closed parks, closed schools with remote learning, closed churches and finally came the salvation of all: the vaccines. Big media became the messengers of fear and the conduits of expert advice from the government. The monitoring and analysis of that massive amount of data was way beyond the capabilities of normal human beings; it was obviously a task only for AI.

AI: a tool for censorship

 During the pandemic Big Tech was called upon to help control the chatter on social media, censoring those who stepped out of line (enforcing “community standards”) as well as monitoring what was said, what was being thought, and how well the media-government messaging was working. Facebook, through its parent-company Meta,  infamously worked at the request of the Biden White House to censor free speech about the COVID-19 shots and the pandemic. Reports in August 2021 were that Meta had taken down “more than 20 million pieces of content containing COVID-19 misinformation between the start of the pandemic and June [2021].” Of course, much of what was considered “mis” or “dis” information was actually accurate, and besides, in a free society, who should get to decide what is misinformation or disinformation and what is not? Even AI itself is “adept” at misinformation. This data was also used to react quickly to societal trends and to “push” the goal of a vaccine in every arm, a process that was even described in articles written for scientific publications:

Digital technologies have been applied to determine the COVID-19 vaccination strategy, predict the vaccination process, optimize vaccine distribution and delivery, provide safe and transparent vaccination certificates, and perform postvaccination surveillance.

This same article, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, called the use of AI for COVID-19 related issues during the pandemic an “irreversible trend.”

Too much data for humans to analyze without AI

 AI is all about collecting data, and needing vast quantities of data to analyze. Large amounts of data about people were gathered and analyzed. No enormous centers full of people were sitting and analyzing this data; rather, AI ran this data, and information was used by our government and others. This was no secret. In 2021, Facebook’s  “Vice President of Integrity,” Guy Rosen, speaking at a Press Conference proudly laid it out:

Our content moderation systems used to rely mostly on user reports. We’ve changed that over the past years. We’ve invested heavily in artificial intelligence to help us enforce at scale.

Big Tech is gathering data, as always, on every choice and discussion online; the vast trove of data presented to AI data centers can allow messaging to be adjusted accordingly.

One step further: personal data collection to prevent crime? 

 Recently in response to the horror of school shootings, military grade AI has been suggested which “scrapes the internet 24/7” using an Israeli-grade technology “to pull specific threat language” which then goes to local law enforcement. Of course, this is just one more argument – a security argument this time, not health – for justifying the collection of detailed data on anyone in society that the government would want to gather data on. Fear of horrific incidents can be used to drive public acceptance of greatly increased data gathering on all citizens. These discussions begin to normalize the use of personal data to scan for the possibility of committing a crime, for thought crime. 

Taxpayer funding of AI for more manipulation and control?

 Taxpayers will surely fund the build out of more and more enormous data centers that use our electricity, land, and our clean water. Most taxpayers have probably not thought to ask to what degree these enormous new data centers will be used for us and to what degree they will be used against us, as ways to manipulate and control us. Viewing its uses in the recent past, AI can be and is a major tool of a government intent on authoritarian rule.