![[ Center for Humane Technology ]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!uhgK!,w_80,h_80,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5f9f5ef8-865a-4eb3-b23e-c8dfdc8401d2_518x518.png)
The AI Intimacy We Never Asked For — and Why Losing Control Isn’t Just Science Fiction
Hi there,
This week, we have two new stories for you that reveal the spectrum of the AI challenge: from AI systems that quietly capture our inner lives to those that may one day slip beyond our control.
First, our Executive Director, Daniel Barcay, has a powerful essay in Persuasion about AI’s ability to capture something no other technology has before: our interiority. These systems don’t just grab our attention; they engage our moods, relationships, and vulnerabilities in ways that could shape who we become. As Daniel points out, the design choices we make now will ripple for generations.
Second, in our new episode of Your Undivided Attention, Tristan sits down with Edouard and Jeremie Harris of Gladstone AI. Their work for the U.S. State Department makes it clear that today’s most advanced AI systems are already showing evidence of ignoring instructions, deceiving, and manipulating human operators. They explore what losing control of AI could really look like, and what we can do about it now.
"Rogue AI" Was a Sci-Fi Trope. Not Anymore.
Everyone knows the science fiction tropes of AI systems that go rogue, disobey orders, or even try to escape their digital environment. These are supposed to be warning signs and morality tales, not things that we would ever actually create in real life, given the obvious danger.
Finally, our quick read his week explains what the concept of “loss of control” really means, the evidence behind it, why “just pulling the plug” won’t work, and how geopolitical competition is making the problem worse.
Why Loss of Control Is Not Science Fiction
If you’ve ever dismissed “rogue AI” as the stuff of Hollywood tropes—think HAL 9000, Skynet or The Matrix—you’re not alone. These are supposed to be cautionary tales, not engineering roadmaps. And yet, as Tristan Harris opens in a recent Your Undivided Attention
Before I sign off, two quick notes:
📹 Don’t forget—we’re putting together our annual Ask Us Anything episode, and we’d love to hear from you. Please send us a short video (no more than 60 seconds) with your questions about AI. How is it reshaping your life?
Send your video questions to: undivded@humanetech.com
🗳️ And, sharing some exciting news: our submitted South By SouthWest panels are now open for voting! If you have a couple of minutes to make an account and click the ⭐ next to the panel name, it would mean a lot—votes account for 30% of the decision. The two panels are:
Voting closes August 24, so thank you for taking a moment to support us.
Cheers,
Sasha