Lately, newspapers and editorials have been glorifying artificial intelligence (AI). It is called “superior intelligence,” a “revolution in intelligence,” and many other things. I do not have in-depth knowledge of AI, so I spoke with a reader named J. Prasad, who has nearly 40 years of experience in the computer field and has worked in major software companies in the U.S., to gain some understanding. However, I do not intend to write specifically about AI as a science in this article. Instead, I discuss how any scientific advancement serves particular class interests in today’s society.
This is because AI is a computer program humans write to perform specific tasks. To be more precise, instead of saying “written by humans,” it would be more accurate to say “commissioned by capitalist employers.” Ultimately, AI is a software program that operates on computers. This program can help you understand human language and expression, gather extensive information from various fields, analyze multiple topics from different angles, and provide detailed insights.
AI is another tool humans developed to enhance their “productive forces.” Enhancing productive forces means enabling workers (in this case, software employees) to complete more tasks with greater efficiency, less time, and fewer people. That’s all! (Of course, this does not mean their working hours will be reduced!)
AI is said to be capable of performing numerous tasks. Here are a few: (1) It can rapidly, accurately, and from multiple perspectives analyze vast amounts of information related to any field. (2) It can improve diagnostic accuracy in healthcare and even suggest treatment methods. (3) It can quickly generate various types of writing and translations, requiring minimal editing. (4) It can accurately predict weather changes and suggest ways to deal with them. (5) It can do homework for school children, solve mathematical problems, and write essays on any topic in multiple languages. (6) It can write new programs for software engineering students. (7) It can analyze a newly created program and determine whether it was written by AI or by humans. (8) Based on the filmmaker’s requirements, It can generate scripts, scenes, dialogues, songs, music, and visuals for all types of films—whether social, folklore-based, or mythological. (9) Robots and unmanned vehicles (drones) can help businesses operate with fewer employees in various industries. (10) It can assist with research not only on Earth but also in space.
In short, companies are using AI to generate enormous profits! Some capitalists start AI-based companies, hire software engineers on salaries, and have them develop new software programs. These programs vary in type: Some are designed for hospitals and scientific research, others for banks, some for large-scale industrial machinery, others for space research, and some are developed explicitly for the film industry.
It is estimated that around 70,000 companies worldwide are developing AI-based programs. These programs are products meant for sale, although they are not physical goods like soap, shoes, or shirts. We can compare AI to a tool or machine to make it easier to understand. However, unlike traditional machines, AI is not a tangible, moving object. It consists of principles and instructions as a software program, which can be used to perform various tasks. If used effectively, AI has its benefits. It allows more work to be completed quickly and with fewer knowledge workers.
Because this new technology remains in the hands of capitalist owners, it would be more appropriate to call it “capitalist intelligence” rather than artificial intelligence! Since it generates higher profits, investments in AI are steadily increasing. News reports suggest that by 2025, investments in this field will reach approximately ₹16 trillion (₹16 lakh crore).
Every company’s investment comprises two main components: (1) Investment in tools and infrastructure. AI companies primarily invest in computers, laptops, and other electronic equipment. The required specifications and capabilities of these devices depend on the complexity of the software being developed. Regular computers and laptops may suffice for some tasks, while others require high-speed supercomputers. (2) Salaries for software engineers: These engineers develop AI-based software programs. Their salaries are typically much higher than those in other industries. This is because the programs they create allow businesses and industries to function with fewer employees, reducing the need for human labor.
Wherever AI technology is introduced, jobs are lost. Capitalist economists claim that even though jobs disappear in some sectors, new jobs will be created in AI-related companies. However, actual data tells a different story. According to surveys conducted by AI-related websites, AI technology is expected to eliminate 300 million (30 crore) jobs worldwide soon, while only 97 million (9.7 crore) new jobs will be created! Despite this reality, capitalist economists continue to argue in favor of AI.
Whenever new technologies emerge, these kinds of debates are not new. Even 150 years ago, similar arguments were made. Karl Marx, in Capital, explains this:
“Bourgeois political economists such as James Mill, McCulloch, Torrens, Senior, and John Stuart Mill insist that every machine that displaces workers simultaneously releases enough capital to re-employ the same type of workers elsewhere… (However) with every improvement in machinery, the number of workers employed tends to decrease.” (*From the chapter “Machinery and Modern Industry” in Capital.)
The only difference is that machines were primarily large industrial tools during Marx’s time. Today, it is the era of AI—intelligence that significantly enhances the efficiency of existing machines!
Some might argue: Should we oppose a technology as advanced as AI, which offers many benefits? Over the past 200 years, haven’t various technological advancements emerged? Haven’t we continued to use them? Should we abandon new technologies and return to the Stone Age?”
The answer is no—we are not rejecting advanced technology. However, technology should benefit all of humanity and not serve as a tool for capitalist exploitation. The issue is not with AI but how it is used under capitalism.
Although AI allows companies to complete more work in less time and earn greater profits, does it reduce working hours for employees? Instead, it leads to mass unemployment and loss of livelihoods for many workers. This is a direct consequence of the profit-driven capitalist mode of production!
It is essential to recognize the need for critical thinking and resistance against this exploitative system. As Marx warned, technological advancements should not be viewed with blind admiration. Instead, we must critically examine how they are used as tools to intensify labor exploitation and extract more work from fewer people in less time. We should not fall for the illusions created by these technologies!
Ranganayakamma is a renowned Telugu author
