Arundhati Roy warns AI as capitalism’s final destination, with mixed implications

Arundhati Roy frames AI as part of a long-running pattern of corporate privatization and neoliberal expansion, arguing that a handful of actors seek to monetize intelligence and language itself. She warns that consumer-style AI features promise convenience while masking broader risks to employment, data rights, and cultural integrity. The interview emphasizes that the technology’s power is inseparable from who controls it and how profits are distributed, not merely what the algorithms can do.

Roy also foregrounds practical concerns about data centers, environmental impact, and local communities, noting resistance to facilities that consume land, water, and energy. She calls for widespread awareness and brave, public rejection of harmful practices, while acknowledging that regulation alone is not enough,societal choices about how AI is deployed will determine whether it enriches or erodes humanness.