An essay argues that utopian thinking has fallen out of favor due to its perceived connection to twentieth-century atrocities, but proposes principles for a new utopianism to complement AI risk management with positive visions of the future.
Apple's new "Audio Intelligence" feature for Apple Watches will continuously listen to and transcribe conversations, raising privacy concerns since non-owners could be recorded without consent. The article discusses how this represents an escalating trend of surveillance through consumer devices like smart speakers, Meta's AI Glasses, and OpenAI's wearable, creating a pervasive surveillance infrastructure that exceeds dystopian scenarios like Orwell's 1984.
The article argues for more optimistic science fiction that imagines positive futures rather than dystopias. While sci-fi traditionally explores dark scenarios to critique society, the author contends that optimistic narratives—exemplified by Star Trek and The Martian—are equally valuable for imagining progressive possibilities and inspiring real-world change.