Bernie Sanders saw this coming

What if we wiped out manufacturing jobs in America? Do you think this is a good idea? No, Bernie, I don’t think that’s a good idea.

Should your child communicate with an AI robot? No, Bernie, this is dangerous. I’m afraid of that.

What about completely violating your privacy? Is this a good idea? No, I value my privacy. Good.

How, in the face of artificial intelligence, do we deal with all these issues? If you say to people, “Guess what? You’re now working 50 hours a week, 40 hours a week. We’ll cut your work week to 20 or 30 hours, and you’ll get the same pay. How’s that?”

“Hey, I’m into it.”

I mean I’m ready for it.

Yes. Well, so is everyone.

I really like the work, but point taken.

We will allow you to work longer hours.

Thank you.

But if AI is going to create wealth, should that wealth benefit you, everyone else, and my grandchildren? Or just Mr. Musk and his friends? You know, I think 90 percent of people side with us on that question.

I know you don’t spend a lot of time with the musk in the world…

Me, no.

You don’t, but you spent some time with Sam Altman recently. I think you spent an hour together talking, in particular, about the sovereign wealth fund proposal. Altman, I said, is “not keen on the idea.” She also described him as a good politician.

Yes.

What were your impressions of him when you met?

He’s a smart man.

Smart man?

Yeah, a very smart guy, and he’s very personable, and I think he’s a good salesman, which is what he does.

I think he’s a good politician too. These are smart guys. They’ve been trying to tell us for two years, “Oh, AI is so cool. It’s so cool. And everyone will benefit.” And now they see people increasingly don’t believe it.

So you’re sitting there, you’re Sam, and some of these guys are like, “Okay, what’s your response?”

“Well, what am I going to do… I have to give the American people something. Guess what? We’re going to give you 5 percent of the benefits of this thing. Because we’re nice guys. Just out of the goodness of our hearts.”

So, they’re going to have to figure out how they can sell their products and transformations to the American people, and this is one way. Trump is the same way. You know, I don’t believe a word Trump says. But after I announced the (sovereign wealth fund), he said, “Oh, that’s an interesting idea.”

Is there a world where the tech companies, Altman, get there in front of lawmakers, where they realize they have such a serious visual problem that they have to do more than they do to appease the American public?

I think you’ll see that happen. But it’s not just a matter of saying, “Okay, you forced me. I’ll give you a few thousand dollars a year. I get it.” The issue is power.