DETROIT — The future of artificial intelligence is not a foregone conclusion, but a political battleground where the ultra-wealthy are vying for control, according to sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom. Speaking at a recent panel hosted by the Urban Consulate in Detroit, Cottom challenged the widespread assumption that an AI-driven society is inevitable, framing it instead as a deliberate narrative pushed by the powerful.
“When people try to sell you on the idea that the future is already settled, it’s because it is deeply unsettled,” Cottom said. She argued that the promise of an AI future is really a reflection of the anxieties of the very wealthy about their ability to maintain control over the rest of society. “If they can get us to accept that the future is already settled — AI is already here, the end is already here — then we will create that for them.”
Cottom’s remarks cut to the heart of a debate that often pits doomsayers against techno-optimists, both of whom tend to accept AI’s dominance as a given. Yet, as she pointed out, the technology itself is far from flawless. For instance, a December update to ChatGPT reportedly left it unable to generate an accurate alphabet poster for preschoolers, underscoring the plateau that some tech companies are hitting in their development efforts.
Rather than capitulating to the idea of a post-human future, Cottom urged resistance. “The proposal for a post-human future is one where there will be human beings who will just be treated inhumanely,” she said. “We’re not going to stop making people or humans, they’re just saying we’re not going to treat you as humans. And I refuse. And I think that we all can.”
Drawing on historical parallels, Cottom noted that chattel slavery was once widely regarded as a preordained fact of life, a myth perpetuated by the wealthiest members of that era. She suggested that marginalized communities, particularly Black Americans, have a long history of refusal that can serve as a model for others. “I think that being Black is an act of refusal, I think we know how to refuse,” she told the audience. “I think that everybody else needs to learn it from us.”
Refusal as a Hopeful Vision
Despite the bleak implications of her analysis, Cottom expressed optimism in the power of refusal. “I think refusing is actually the more hopeful, expansion vision of the future, than the one that is telling us that the future is already settled and decided. That’s my daring idea,” she said, drawing applause from the audience.
The panel, held at the Urban Consulate, a civic engagement space in Detroit, provided a platform for Cottom to challenge the tech industry’s dominant narratives. Her comments come at a time when public discourse on AI is increasingly polarized, with some hailing it as a solution to societal challenges and others warning of existential risks.
Cottom’s perspective adds a critical voice to the conversation, shifting the focus from technological capabilities to the social and economic forces shaping AI’s trajectory. By questioning the inevitability of an AI-dominated future, she opens the door to alternative possibilities that prioritize human dignity and collective agency.
