Experts are warning that the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in government could lead to an unprecedented centralization of control. A recent article in The Atlantic highlights concerns that replacing civil servants with AI agents could allow executives to rapidly and unilaterally alter government functions, potentially upending social-welfare programs and law-enforcement directives at the press of a button.
The warning comes as Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency are reportedly planning to remake the government with an "AI-first strategy." While AI could streamline federal services, the authors Bruce Schneier and Nathan Sanders argue that replacing human workers with AI gives executives unilateral authority to instantaneously alter the behavior of the government, profoundly raising the stakes for transitions of power in democracy.
Unlike human bureaucrats, AI agents could be easily redirected, potentially sidestepping Congress. The Trump administration's plan to power AI development with fossil fuels further complicates the issue, as the chatbot boom is expected to require unprecedented amounts of power. This presents an opportunity to expand natural-gas plants, raising concerns that AI is being used as a pretense for expanding fossil fuel production.