The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI launch at Kepler’s Books with Angie Coiro
Summary
Cory Doctorow discusses his book *The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to AI," contrasting worker-machine dynamics, linking AI hype to monopoly-driven bubbles and "enshittification." He argues that AI often masks human labor while serving corporate interests, creating "reverse centaurs" where machines control humans. Doctorow critiques the solipsistic desire to eliminate human friction, connecting Silicon Valley’s amorality and the historical parallels between tech bubbles and labor exploitation.
Topics discussed
Introduction and event welcome
Inshidification and the AI bubble
AI hype, sovereignty, and low-wage labor
Autonomous vehicles and traffic dynamics
Luddites, centaurs, and reverse centaurs
Monopolies, MBA ethics, and revealed preference
Global tech policy and digital rights
Post-bubble reality and worker solidarity
Q&A on education, unions, and business ethics
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