Tech expert Sarah Myers West discusses how AI is concentrating power among a handful of oligarchs—and how its future could be made more democratic.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman arrives at court at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building on April 30, 2026, in Oakland, California. (Benjamin Fanjoy / Getty Images)
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You've already heard us rant about AI. What if you could hear someone who's actually super smart and profoundly informed… also rant about AI? We're joined by tech expert Sarah Myers West, who lays out why AI, as it's currently structured, is all about the consolidation of power among a handful of oligarchs, but also how that's not how it needs to be.
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You’ve already heard us rant about AI. What if you could hear someone who’s actually super smart and profoundly informed… also rant about AI? We’re joined by tech expert Sarah Myers West, who lays out why AI, as it’s currently structured, is all about the consolidation of power among a handful of oligarchs, but also how that’s not how it needs to be.
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Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.
We all love making fun of fascists. But Dr. Bret Devereaux makes an art of it. Bret is a historian of antiquity and a Tolkien scholar, and he doesn’t suffer fools. He’s been going at it with the world of online chud “historians” — the fascists who say they’re fighting to defend “Western Civilization,” something they’ve never bothered to actually try to understand. And he has similarly choice words for the far right billionaire freaks who idolize, and utterly misunderstand, the Lord of the Rings.
This is a genuinely delightful conversation for nerds like us. But it’s also a serious look into the ways the far right misuses history and literature to advance their fucked up worldviews — and how we can fight back.
Check out Bret’s WONDERFUL blog, A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry, at acoup.blog.
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Jonathan SmuckerTwitterJonathan Smucker is cofounder and executive director of Popular Comms, a cofounder of Pennsylvania Stands Up, and the author of Hegemony How-To: A Roadmap for Radicals. He has worked for over 25 years as a political organizer, campaigner, and strategist, and has trained thousands of organizers and social movement participants.
Aaron RegunbergTwitterAaron Regunberg is a climate lawyer, a contributing editor at The New Republic, and a former Rhode Island state representative.
Matt DaSilvaMatt DaSilva is a co-host of the Fighting Fascism podcast.