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“Empire of AI”: Karen Hao on How AI Is Threatening Democracy & Creating a New Colonial World

2026-01-01 News & Politics
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Support our work: https://democracynow.org/donate/sm-desc-yt In a New Year holiday special, we revisit our interview with longtime technology reporter Karen Hao, author of the book Empire of AI, which unveils the accruing political and economic power of AI companies — especially Sam Altman’s OpenAI. Her reporting uncovered the exploitation of workers in Kenya, attempts to take massive amounts of freshwater from communities in Chile, along with numerous accounts of the technology’s detrimental impact on the environment. “This is an extraordinary type of AI development that is causing a lot of social, labor and environmental harms,” says Hao in an extended interview. Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET. Subscribe to our Daily Email Digest: https://democracynow.org/subscribe

Top Comments (10)

@Hkbew742 2026-01-01

A very vindicating read. Researchers with a conscience have felt this in their guts for a long time. Karen is an excellent technology communicator! Brilliant book

320 9 replies
@Make-It-Make-Sense-please 2026-01-01

What a brilliant discussion. Thank you. Looking forward to reading "Empire of AI" by Karen Hao.

144 12 replies
@katharinavonheydekampf 2026-01-03

Why are there not more journalists like her?! Thank you for all you do at Democracy Now

112 5 replies
@Scrotally 2026-01-01

Love the longer form interview. I wish we could get more of these from Democracy Now on YouTube. The way you have to constantly cut interviews short should be a thing of the past at this point in online media.

108 2 replies
@Nemototeles 2026-01-02

She is absolutely right. It’s theft

86 5 replies
@andreaboggan9540 2026-01-03

"If you want to see a vision of the future, imagine a boot stomping on a human face—forever." ~George Orwell, '1984'

81 6 replies
@katharinavonheydekampf 2026-01-03

I did not know how rotten this world is. Gaza has opened my eyes. I wish I could unsee it😢

49 2 replies
@mikefatah 2026-01-01

Freshwater depletion rates are skyrocketing due to these tech bros and their insatiable greed!

47 4 replies
@santichatterjee7284 2026-01-01

This is superb💐And thanks to Amy it's so clear even to a layman like me. Kudos 👏

43 5 replies
@nolan1640 2026-02-11

We are in the age of robber barons #2 with no Teddy Roosevelt in sight. The energy consumption and pollution to our precious earth that some of us have taken often very expensive steps to reduce is being totally annihilated in the dark. It’s almost a greater danger to us than the corruption involved. I don’t think most Americans understand. I didn’t understand the breadth of it myself. This is the type of reporting that needs greater reach. Excellent information!

24 2 replies

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