Beware the promises of technology. Remember when the internet was going to cement democracy? Instead, autocrats learned to harness it and turn it into a tool of control and propaganda. And so, argues Tim Wu – a on monopoly power and former White House advisor to President Joe Biden – we should treat the vision of a Utopian future pushed by Big Tech and fuelled by AI with a lot of skepticism.

Wu argues that the AI models and other technologies being created by the vast tech companies are fundamentally geared towards taking from us rather than giving to us. They take our money, our data, our attention – and what we get back in return – improved goods and services, which we pay for one way or another – is simply not worth the cost. 

On November 18, Wu comes to the the Intelligence Squared stage to reveal the dangers of the new AI economy and to argue that breaking up tech monopolies is ultimately the only solution to unleash creativity and growth for the rest of society. He will discuss the history of monopoly power and offer a blueprint for an alternative AI future which would allow tech platforms to still play a major role in creating and sustaining an economic model of prosperity for everyone. 

Join Wu and Doctorow live at Conway Hall, hear the arguments and ask your questions in the Q&A.