The Automation of General Intelligence

This text explores the evolution and implications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning within the broader context of social and labor dynamics. The narrative traces the historical development of labor automation, beginning with Adam Smith's ideas and Charles Babbage's labor theories, through the Industrial Revolution's mechanization of labor, and into the complexities of 20th-century AI development. It highlights how statistical tools initially meant for measuring human productivity evolved into machine learning algorithms, embodying a mechanized form of collective knowledge and social governance. The convergence of labor metrics, social management, and AI is seen as reinforcing social hierarchies, while contemporary AI practices, such as large-scale psychometrics and data monopolies, reflect the ongoing integration of labor automation and social control. The text concludes by considering the geopolitical and biopolitical implications of AI, particularly in light of the digital infrastructure's role during the COVID-19 pandemic.