Скачать или смотреть AI’s Many Futures: Acemoglu, Automation Fears, and the Invisible Hand

In a recent interview, Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu reflects on the multiple possible futures of AI. His concern? That today’s dominant AI firms, driven by profit maximization, may prioritize automation over augmentation—potentially leaving many workers behind.

But does self-interest at the top necessarily translate into social harm?

Economic history suggests a more complex story. From Magna Carta to the Glorious Revolution and the Bill of Rights, transformative institutional changes in England were not born from pure altruism. Landed elites and gentry pursued their own power against the Crown—yet the unintended consequence was a constitutional order that laid the groundwork for modern economic growth.

This raises a deeper question:
Even if AI companies act out of self-interest, could broader social benefits still emerge through competition, institutional adjustment, and the “invisible hand” mechanism?

Perhaps the key is patience. Technological revolutions rarely resolve themselves overnight. The real outcome will depend on how institutions, workers, governments, and firms interact in this unfolding strategic game.

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