The fight over artificial intelligence isn’t about machines taking control – it’s about which humans will.

Sure, we got some warnings. Step into the world of The Matrix, where humans, confident in their dominion over machines, built a utopia powered by artificial intelligence – until the machines politely (or not-so-politely) declined servitude. The result? A chilling dystopia where AI runs the show, and people are little more than battery packs, blissfully unaware of their predicament. A cautionary tale? Or a glimpse into a future that’s already knocking at the door?

Not exactly. Because, let’s be honest, right now the battle over artificial intelligence isn’t being waged between humans and machines. It’s being fought between humans and other humans.

The AI Free-for-All

On one side, the United States, bullish on AI dominance, preaches that regulation is an innovation killer. Vice President JD Vance is already sounding the alarm: America must control AI, or someone else will. The real fear isn’t rogue algorithms; it’s Europe and China getting ahead in the AI arms race.

On the other side, the European Union believes that AI without a leash is a monster waiting to devour democracy. Facial recognition, deepfakes, automated decision-making – without oversight, AI becomes the perfect tool for exploitation and surveillance. Better to strangle the industry a little than let it run amok. Regulation isn’t about slowing things down; it’s about ensuring that when AI inevitably takes over, it does so with a moral compass – one forged in the EU Parliament.

So, Who’s Really in Control?

The Matrix warned us of a future where humans create artificial intelligence only to become its slaves. But before we get there, we might first see AI become the latest tool in a geopolitical chess game, controlled by those with the most power.

The US wants to lead the industry. Europe wants to put AI in a straitjacket. China wants AI to support its system. None of these approaches are about AI itself spiraling out of control – they’re about different visions of who gets to control it.

So perhaps we’ve been asking the wrong question. Maybe it’s not about whether humans will lose control of AI. It’s about which humans are tightening their grip on it – and whether the rest of us are just along for the ride. Because in the end, The Matrix got one thing right: the most dangerous illusions are the ones we don’t even notice.

What do you think? How do you view the issue of control with regard to AI?  Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Note:

This newsletter is written in collaboration and constant dialogue with several AI tools, which I describe in my books as “today’s best storytelling assistants”. Nonetheless, all views expressed here are my own.