The Strong Delusion of AI

The Strong Delusion of AI

Rob Pue

Technology is advancing today at break-neck speed.  As I mentioned in a previous message, research now shows that by the end of this year, technology and human knowledge will be doubling every twelve hours!  I can’t comprehend that.  Can you?

Take the iPhone, for example, first released in 2007.  There was a new, upgraded model once a year from 2007 until 2015.  Then, from 2016 to 2019, three new models were released each year.  In 2020 and ‘21, four new models came out.  In 2022, there were five.  And four new models have been released every year since then.  Software updates are released every couple of months, with more advanced features and technology.  I’d venture to say that virtually no one reads the fine print in the User Agreements before downloading the latest operating systems.  Who knows what we’re agreeing to?  Thankfully, there are some researchers out there that do, and inform us of potentially invasive privacy risks, and they instruct us to turn off “permissions” that could put us in harm’s way.

Technology can be dangerous.  We know our phones listen to us, even when we’re not using them.  Have you ever had a private conversation with your spouse while driving in your car, and by the time you get home, you find advertisements for things you spoke about privately in your email inbox, popping up on YouTube or social media sites?  That’s not a coincidence.

Our phones are also watching us.  Unless you’re savvy enough to turn off permissions for your built-in camera, numerous apps will take advantage of the opportunity to read your facial expressions, watch what you’re doing while browsing the internet, and watch your reactions to articles you may read or videos you may be viewing.  These things also monitor and track our internet activity; capture our voices and even home videos we take at family gatherings and vacation trips.

All this information is being stored and archived somewhere, creating massive data bases on every user, then creating algorithms to feed us news, advertising and information based on our interests and activities.  Whether you want to believe it or not, this is not a simple modern “convenience,” it’s a massive intrusion of our private, personal lives, and unless you know how to disable some of these cell phone features, you’re exposing your personal, private information to the World Wide Web “internet of things.”

And some of the apps available for download also take the liberty to invade your private space, then exploit it for profit.  And most people tacitly agree to that, because just like the phone itself, they never bothered to read the User Agreement. Even apps you’ve downloaded, but barely ever use, can be harvesting your personal information in the background — quietly, stealthily.

But aside from information, the internet is now being used as a “virtual reality” for many people.  A virtual — or alternative — “world,” and many people now prefer the “virtual” to the real world, even though they go in knowing it’s fake.  They prefer the delusion.  Having never fallen prey to that virtual world, I was truly astounded to learn recently just how deep this all goes.  I probably shouldhave been aware, but like most people, because I have no interest in this stuff, I never looked into it.  What I found is alarming.

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Zuckerberg’s “Fix” for Child Safety Could End Anonymous Internet Access for Everyone

Zuckerberg’s “Fix” for Child Safety Could End Anonymous Internet Access for Everyone

Mark Zuckerberg spent more than five hours on the stand in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, testifying before a jury for the first time about claims that Meta deliberately designed Instagram to addict children.

The headline from most coverage was the spectacle: an annotated paper trail of internal emails, a 35-foot collage of the plaintiff’s Instagram posts unspooled across the courtroom, a CEO growing visibly agitated under cross-examination.

The more important story is what Wednesday’s proceedings are being used to build.

The trial is framed as a child safety case. What it is actually doing, especially through Zuckerberg’s own testimony, is laying the political and legal groundwork for mandatory identity verification across the internet.

And Zuckerberg, rather than pushing back on that outcome, offered the court his preferred implementation plan.

Zuckerberg was pressed with internal documents, including a 2015 estimate that 4 million users under 13 were on Instagram, roughly 30 percent of all American children aged 10 to 12. An old email from former public policy head Nick Clegg was read into the record: “The fact that we say we don’t allow under-13s on our platform, yet have no way of enforcing it, is just indefensible.” Zuckerberg acknowledged the slow progress: “I always wish that we could have gotten there sooner.”

He also told the jury: “I don’t see why this is so complicated,” when pressed on the company’s age verification policies. His proposed answer to that question is the core problem.

Multiple times during his testimony, Zuckerberg argued that age verification should be handled not by individual apps but at the operating system level, by Apple and Google. He told jurors that operating system providers “were better positioned to implement age verification tools, since they control the software that runs most smartphones.”

“Doing it at the level of the phone is just a lot cleaner than having every single app out there have to do this separately,” he said. He added that it “would be pretty easy for them” to implement.

Note that. Zuckerberg is not proposing that Instagram verify the ages of Instagram users. He is proposing that Apple and Google verify the identity of every smartphone user, for every app, at the OS level.

Once that infrastructure exists, it does not stay limited to social media. It applies to every app on the phone. Every website accessed through that phone’s browser. Every communication sent through any app on the device.

This is more than age verification. It is a national digital ID layer baked into the two operating systems that run the overwhelming majority of the world’s smartphones.

The proposal also solves Zuckerberg’s immediate legal problem. If Apple and Google own age enforcement, platforms like Meta are no longer responsible for enforcing it. The liability shifts. The company under lawsuit in Los Angeles deflects the core allegation by pointing at Cupertino and Mountain View.

Who decides which apps require ID verification once this infrastructure exists? Apple and Google do. They would be deputized as identity gatekeepers for the internet. Two private companies, already under serious antitrust scrutiny for their control of app distribution, handed new authority over who accesses what online and under what identity.

Zuckerberg’s OS-level verification proposal fits neatly into a legislative agenda that was moving before he took the stand Wednesday.

California’s SB 976, the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, mandates age verification systems for social media platforms in the state. The California Attorney General must finalize implementation rules by January 2027.

The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), pending at the federal level, would direct agencies to develop age verification at the device or operating system level, the same framework Zuckerberg promoted from the stand.

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Mexico's Cartel Decapitation Strike Fallout: "Not The End, Just The Beginning"

Mexico's Cartel Decapitation Strike Fallout: "Not The End, Just The Beginning"

TYLER DURDEN

Mexican journalist Luis Cárdenas, listed as a journalist at MVS Noticias and a contributor to El Universal and El Heraldo de México, spoke with security analyst Oscar Balmen about the Mexican Army Special Forces' decapitation strike against the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) by killing Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes.

Balmen explained to Cárdenas that CJNG "is designed to survive without El Mencho."

Cárdenas listed key takeaways from his discussion:

• The fall of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes does not mean the end of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel: it is a transnational criminal structure with a franchise model and regional autonomy.

• The more than 250 blockades after the operation were not aimed at rescuing him, but were a "criminal résumé": plaza bosses flexing muscle to dispute the leadership.

  
  

  • The risk is not immediate, warns Balmen: the rearrangement can take weeks or months to explode, as happened after the capture of Ismael Zambada García; an internal struggle is coming that could fragment or pulverize the cartel.

  
  

  Earlier, Mexico's Secretary of Defense, Ricardo Trevilla, revealed new details at a press conference about the Mexican Army Special Forces raid to capture El Mencho. He said, "El Mencho was captured in a cabin area near his hideout." However, El Mencho later died in a firefight with the military.

  
  

  Trevilla offered condolences to the families of military members who lost their lives in the mission to decapitate CJNG.

  
  

  He acknowledged that the operation against El Mencho can be viewed from "different perspectives," but he said the Mexican Army has completed its mission.

  
  

  "The government of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum knew that the 'elimination' of El Mencho would trigger a massive terrorist reaction," research analyst Miguel Alfonso Meza of Defensorxs wrote on X.

  Meza continued:

  
  

  One day after the assassination of El Mencho, the repercussions are:

  • Collective trauma in the population and hundreds of deadly and economic victims.

  • A predictable internal dispute within the CJNG and the prolonged bleeding it will cause.

  • The elimination of El Mencho as a potential witness to point out all the politicians and businessmen who protected him, as well as a source of information to dismantle his cartel.

  • The establishment of a de facto (military) state of exception in several regions of the country.

  • The international perception that Mexico is at war and incapable of guaranteeing security against the cartels, just over 3 months before the World Cup.

  • And fuel for Trump's interventionist discourse (even though the operation was joint, Mexico will pay the political cost).

  
  

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Iranian Students Protest for Third Day as US Pressure Mounts

Iranian Students Protest for Third Day as US Pressure Mounts

by Reuters and Algemeiner Staff

Iranian students defied authorities with protests for a third day on Monday, weeks after security forces crushed mass unrest with thousands killed and as the United States weighs possible air strikes against the Islamic Republic.

State media outlets reported students chanting anti-government slogans at Tehran University, burning flags at the all-women al-Zahra University, and scuffles at Amir Kabir University, all located in the capital.

Reuters also verified video showing students at al-Zahra University chanting slogans including “we’ll reclaim Iran,” but was not able to confirm when it was recorded.

In a new sign of the mounting tension in the Middle East, the United States began pulling non-essential personnel and family members from the embassy in Beirut, a senior State Department official said.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran since major nationwide protests across the country in January, saying on Thursday that “really bad things will happen” if talks between the countries fail to produce a deal.

Washington wants Iran to give up much of its nuclear program, which it believes is aimed at building a bomb, limit the range of its missiles to short distances, and stop supporting terrorist groups it backs in the Middle East.

It has built up forces across the Middle East, putting increased pressure on Iran as it weighs its response to US demands amid ongoing talks.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei already faces the gravest crisis of his 36-year tenure, with an economy struggling under the weight of international sanctions and growing unrest that broke out into major protests in January.

Khamenei Prepares Secretive Succession Plan In Case He's Assassinated

Khamenei Prepares Secretive Succession Plan In Case He's Assassinated

TYLER DURDEN

As US carriers deploy in the Mideast region and with tense nuclear talks inching forward in Geneva, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is reportedly taking Washington threats of assassination very seriously.

According to a Sunday report by The New York Times, Khamenei has quietly established detailed succession plans and emergency chains of command in the event he - or other top regime figures - are killed in potential US or Israeli strikes.

The contingency blueprint, drafted amid escalating threats and last month's nationwide unrest, is said to ensure continuity of power under wartime conditions. Central to that plan is the elevation of longtime insider Ali Larijani.

The report says that at the height of the protests and amid mounting US military pressure, Khamenei tapped Larijani - a former Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) commander and political heavyweight - to assume a dominant governing role, effectively sidelining President Masoud Pezeshkian and consolidating crisis management under a trusted loyalist.

NY Times writes, "Ayatollah Khamenei has instructed Mr. Larijani and a handful of other close political and military associates to ensure that the Islamic Republic survives not only American and Israeli bombs, but also any assassination attempts on its top leadership, including on Ayatollah Khamenei himself, according to the six senior officials and the Guards members."

Nasser Imani, a conservative analyst close to the government, told the outlet over the phone: "The supreme leader fully trusts Larijani. He believes Larijani is the man for this sensitive juncture because of his political track record, sharp mind and knowledge."

Imani added: "He relies on him for reports on the situation and pragmatic advice. Larijani’s role will be very pronounced during war."

According to more details of the emergency wartime succession planning:

According to the six senior officials and the Guards members, Ayatollah Khamenei has issued a series of directives. He has named four layers of succession for each of the military command and government roles that he personally appoints. 

He has also told everyone in leadership roles to name up to four replacements and has delegated responsibilities to a tight circle of confidants to make decisions in case communications with him are disrupted or he is killed.

The Times claims Larijani had overseen the crackdown on demonstrators and coordinated closely with Moscow, and may have even had serious input in how to deal on the diplomatic front with Washington.

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US Begins Evacuating Some Personnel From Beirut Embassy As Iran War Looms

US Begins Evacuating Some Personnel From Beirut Embassy As Iran War Looms

TYLER DURDEN

When it comes to the Middle East and rising tensions, the most watched US diplomatic compound in the whole region is the American embassy in Beirut.

When things get hot, or America is at war, the threat level is always raised here first - given also that it has in the past been attacked, especially in the early 1980s with suicide bombings.

Now with potential war with Iran looming, the US State Department is taking no chances, also given Iran's main proxy group, Lebanese Hezbollah, is very active in the capital. If the US were to attack Tehran, it's entirely possible that Hezbollah could in turn hit American interests in Lebanon.

On Monday, a senior State Dept official conformed the order has gone out for the departure of non-emergency personnel at the embassy in Beirut.

"We continuously assess the security environment, and based on our latest review, we determined it prudent to reduce our footprint to essential personnel," the US official told Al Jazeera.

"The Embassy remains operational with core staff in place," the source detailed. "This is a temporary measure intended to ensure the safety of our personnel while maintaining our ability to operate and assist US citizens."

Again, the heightened precautions are seen as especially necessary in a place like Beirut, which decades ago even saw the American ambassador assassinated. According to a US State Dept outline of past events:

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Zelensky's Push for Extended Conflict Tied to ‘Personal Survival’ – Report

Zelensky's Push for Extended Conflict Tied to ‘Personal Survival’ – Report

Sputnik

Media reports earlier said that Zelensky is poised to continue fighting despite the Ukrainian military’s huge losses and the Russian army’s ongoing advance on all front lines. 

Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly announced Ukraine’s readiness to fight Russia “for another three years" just as “the repercussions of the corruption investigations are increasingly hitting him,” Junge Welt writes.

It remains unclear what Zelensky hopes to gain from this, the newspaper reports, suggesting that the leader of the Ukrainian regime apparently hopes to “politically outlive Trump and find a more supportive US administration.”“

This speculation could, of course, backfire—for example, if the current Vice President JD Vance were to succeed Trump. Or if the Ukrainian army's capacity and willingness to resist don't last another three years,” Junge Welt sums up.

Zelensky rejects territorial concessions to Russia

Zelensky rejects territorial concessions to Russia

RT

Kiev will never rescind its territorial claims on formerly Ukrainian regions lost to Russia and is set on seizing them back in the future, Vladimir Zelensky has stated, once again ruling out withdrawing from Donbass.

In an interview with the BBC published on Monday, Zelensky reiterated his refusal to withdraw from the areas of Donbass still under Ukrainian control, claiming such a move would only “divide” the country’s society.

A withdrawal has been one of the key Russian demands and the main issue of the ongoing US-mediated talks between Moscow and Kiev. Moreover, the Ukrainian leader said the country remains set on getting back all the territories it has lost to Russia. 

“We’ll do it. That is absolutely clear. It is only a matter of time,” he stated.  

Zelensky admitted that Ukraine is currently unable to accomplish this because it lacks both sufficient funds and troops.  

“To do it today would mean losing a huge number of people – millions of people – because the [Russian] army is large, and we understand the cost of such steps,” he said. “And we also don’t have enough weapons. That depends not just on us, but on our partners.”  

The Ukrainian leader repeated his longstanding talking point about getting all the territories within the 1991 borders, when the country became independent after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Seizing all the land back would constitute “victory of justice for the whole world,” Zelensky asserted.

The territories in question include Crimea, which broke away from Ukraine in the aftermath of the Western-backed 2014 Maidan coup and joined Russia via a referendum shortly after. The Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk (LPR) People’s Republics declared their independence early on in the post-Maidan conflict in then-Ukrainian Donbass. The DPR and LPR joined Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions in being incorporated into Russia in late 2022 following referendums in which the overwhelming majority of the regions’ respective populations supported the move. 

While Russia controls the entire territory of the LPR, Kiev’s forces still hold roughly 20% of the DPR. Moscow’s control of Kherson and Zaporozhye remains partial, with the respective namesake capital cities of the two regions held by Ukraine.

Israel's New Threat: The Turkish Noose Replacing The Iranian Crescent

Israel's New Threat: The Turkish Noose Replacing The Iranian Crescent

 PIERRE REHOV/GATESTONE INSTITUTE

While much of the world's attention remains fixed on Iran and its Shi'ite axis, another geopolitical realignment is taking shape -- more quietly, more pragmatically, and potentially just as consequential for the US, Israel and the Middle East.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has launched an ambitious diplomatic offensive aimed at unifying the Sunni world under Ankara's leadership. The objective is not merely reconciliation with former rivals. It is the construction of a Sunni diplomatic and strategic "wall," or "noose," around Israel, replacing the Iranian "Shi'ite crescent" with a new configuration of Sunni power.

In early February 2026, Erdogan embarked on a Middle East tour that signaled a turning point. On February 3, he visited Saudi Arabia. On February 4, Egypt. On February 7, Jordan's King Abdullah II was received in Istanbul. These meetings were not symbolic. They marked the culmination of a "normalization" process that has been unfolding since 2022, as Turkey repaired relations that were damaged by its earlier ideological support for the Muslim Brotherhood and confrontations with Gulf monarchies.

The Turkish-Saudi reconciliation is particularly significant. Following years of tension after the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Ankara and Riyadh have now moved decisively toward strategic cooperation. Discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman produced major agreements, including a $2 billion Saudi investment in renewable energy projects in Turkey, targeting 5,000 megawatts of solar capacity. Defense cooperation was expanded to include technology transfers for Turkish drones and air defense systems. Bilateral trade is expected to reach $50 billion.

Erdogan has emphasized "growing strategic trust" in confronting regional instability -- from Syria to Gaza. Turkish and Saudi officials increasingly frame Israel as a destabilizing actor in these theaters. The emerging partnership is not merely economic; it reflects coordinated positioning against perceived external threats, with Israel explicitly cited.

Egypt represents an even more dramatic shift. After a decade of hostility -- triggered by Turkey's support for the Muslim Brotherhood following the 2013 ouster of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi -- Erdogan's visit to Cairo marked the end of a long freeze. Turkey and Egypt have now signed a $350 million military framework agreement covering joint weapons production, intelligence sharing, and military exercises. Turkish air defense systems and munitions are slated for delivery, and bilateral trade is projected to reach $15 billion.

Strategically, Egypt's participation transforms the coalition's scope. As the guardian of the Suez Canal and a dominant actor in North Africa, Egypt provides logistical leverage capable of influencing maritime routes critical to Israel's economy. Discussions between Erdogan and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reportedly included Gaza, Syria, and Africa--regions where both countries share concerns over the influence of Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Jordan, long a security partner of Israel despite persistent political hostility at home, has also been drawn into closer alignment with Turkey. Joint statements have emphasized peace in Syria and Gaza and highlighted "common concerns" about regional stability. A future Erdogan visit to Amman is under discussion, underscoring Jordan's integration into Ankara's growing network.

On February 9, 2026, the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint communiqué condemning what they called "Israeli expansionist policies in occupied territories" and calling for Islamic unity. Israeli media outlets such as Ynet interpreted the statement as evidence of a "coalition of interests against Israel," with Turkey playing the unifying role.

Some analysts describe an emerging "Sunni axis," or noose, influenced by Muslim Brotherhood ideology; backed by Turkish military power, financed by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and designed, by expanding into Gaza, to encircle and finish off Israel. The isolated Turkish-Qatari alignment of 2017-2021 appears to have evolved into a broader strategy of economic and diplomatic influence, channeling of neo-Ottoman ambitions.

In Libya, once divided between Turkish-backed Tripoli and Egyptian-supported Marshal Khalifa Haftar, Ankara and Cairo are now aligning to stabilize the country and limit UAE-supported militias perceived as close to Israel. In Sudan, near Egypt's southwestern border, the Sudanese civil war continues. Turkey provides logistical and intelligence support, aligning with Saudi Arabia to potentially threaten Israeli access to the Red Sea.

In Somalia, Egypt has increased its military presence to approximately 10,000 troops after Israel's December 2025 recognition of Somaliland. Turkey maintains its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu, training Somali forces and developing military infrastructure. A Saudi-Somali defense agreement strengthens this axis, positioning it near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait -- a chokepoint vital to global trade and Israeli shipping. The stated objective is securing the Red Sea against "foreign military presence." The unstated implication is the containment of Israel.

This evolving configuration represents a transformation of what was once considered the "moderate Sunni camp" -- historically aligned with the United States and tolerant, if not friendly, toward Israel -- into a broader Islamic coalition capable of exerting diplomatic, economic and military pressure. Israeli analysts increasingly describe it as the replacement of Iran's Shiite axis with a Sunni bloc influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood.

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US refuelers, cargo planes spotted at Ben Gurion Airport amid Iran tensions

US refuelers, cargo planes spotted at Ben Gurion Airport amid Iran tensions

The Times of Israel is liveblogging Monday

As part of the United States’s massive buildup of military forces in the Middle East, American refueler and cargo planes are spotted at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.

The tankers and cargo planes arrived at Ben Gurion in the past day.

There is no comment from Israeli authorities regarding the American military deployment at Israel’s main civilian airport, and it is unclear if the planes are here temporarily as part of a stopover.

According to the Military Air Tracking Alliance, a team of about 30 open-source analysts that routinely analyzes military and government flight activity, more than 85 fuel tankers and over 170 cargo planes have headed into the region since mid-February, as US President Donald Trump considers whether to take possible military action against Iran.

Saudi message may pave way for US strike on Iran

Saudi message may pave way for US strike on Iran

Danny Zaken

According to a diplomat from the region, Riyadh has conveyed a message that it is no longer blocking a US move against Tehran and is not ruling out the overthrow of the regime. The shift comes amid American pressure and a sense that Iran is dragging its feet in negotiations. However, Saudi Arabia is unlikely to join any military action for fear of an Iranian response.

Saudi Arabia has shifted its stance on the possibility of a US military strike against Iran and is no longer opposing such a move, according to a diplomat from the region. Riyadh is also not ruling out the overthrow of the regime in Tehran, the source said, though it is unlikely to join any military action for fear of Iranian retaliation.

The message was recently conveyed to Washington after mounting American pressure and amid a growing perception that Tehran is stalling in negotiations. According to the diplomat, the Saudis made clear they would no longer block a US strike.

The position marks a departure from Riyadh's recent stance. Saudi Arabia had repeatedly stressed that it was not interested in regional escalation and had made clear it would not allow its territory to be used for an attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had also held talks with Iran's leadership and sent conciliatory messages as part of an effort to prevent deterioration.

In addition, Riyadh has coordinated with other Gulf states to reduce tensions, including through security dialogue and regional contacts. The backdrop has been concern over a potential Iranian response targeting Saudi oil facilities and critical infrastructure, a scenario that has materialized in the past.

Against that backdrop, the latest message to Washington reflects a shift in tone and approach, even if it does not signal willingness to take part directly in military action.

Things To Come: AI Surveillance

AI Surveillance Should Scare Both Democrats And Republicans

Brendan Steinhauser

In a country desperate for unifying issues, there is growing consensus on one: surveillance of American citizens. From progressives who want to hold ICE accountable to conservatives who fear Big Government, an ever-expanding federal government has put many Americans on high alert, and artificial intelligence is only making matters worse.

To quote New York Times columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom, “ICE is watching you.” It is true: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement saw its 2025 budget triple to nearly $30 billion, which would rank the agency as the 14th highest-funded military in the world. Much of the money is funding surveillance technology, including tools to crack phones, monitor social media, and track the movements of U.S. citizens and non-citizens alike. The Department of Homeland Security and affiliated agencies are currently piloting and deploying more than 100 AI systems, including some used in law enforcement activities.

Advanced, aggressive AI transcends the issue. Last year, federal agencies publicly reported more than 1,700 AI use cases – from the Department of Health and Human Services to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

We have heard the horror stories out of China, where AI is combined with social media monitoring, facial recognition, and new-age cameras to track the Chinese Communist Party’s critics (perceived or real), with the CCP following their statements and locations. But is that really unimaginable here?

Leaning on AI companies as core contractors, DHS has long scanned millions of social media posts, using new technologies to summarize findings. At the Environmental Protection Agency, AI spies on federal workers by monitoring communications. Citing “national security” at every turn, the federal government has given carte blanche to Palantir, whose sales and stock price have spiked in recent years. This means integrating Palantir data collection into operations at HHS and the Internal Revenue Service. Is that for national security, too?

What about “pattern of life” modeling that identifies when people deviate from normal routines? Or the rise of “predictive policing,” à la Steven Spielberg’s “Minority Report”?

When pressed on Palantir’s surveillance agenda, Palantir CEO Alex Karp’s argument is that Americans essentially need more surveillance now to be more free later. You read that right: As Karp recently put it, “Freedom from unwarranted government surveillance ... requires the construction of a technical system that is built to make possible oversight of its own use and limit, not expand, the material and information subject to access.”

Federal surveillance is only the beginning of the problem. State by state, police departments and other entities are leaning into AI tools to study citizens and share data from coast to coast. In Florida, Massachusetts, Texas, and other states, thousands of police departments are using Flock’s AI-powered license plate reader cameras to track drivers when they pass one of Flock’s cameras on the road.

Take Massachusetts, where the state has spent millions of taxpayer dollars to monitor the locations of drivers and share that information with a network of over 7,000 agencies and organizations across America. Or consider Maine, where localities are using AI to scan license plates, create digital profiles, and experiment with facial recognition. This information can then be entered into a national database for federal access to information.

With each passing week, the mainstream media reports on “authoritarian AI surveillance” in China, but Americans do not need to look overseas for proof. From social media to our morning commute, we have countless case studies in government overreach right here at home. Our AI surveillance state is driven by a sweeping alliance of federal, state, and local governments with Silicon Valley’s most innovative monitoring systems.

It is not just Washington, D.C., or your state capitol or city hall or Palantir; it is all of the above. When it comes to civil liberties, no fight is more important than the people against the surveillance state. AI has pushed the limits of what is possible at our expense, making post-Patriot Act surveillance look like child’s play.