Equity · Friday, August 7, 2026
Jill Lepore points to recent statements, such as Sam Altman's suggestion of an AI president, as examples of tech leaders taking on the trappings and functions of the nation-state. She views these instances as a 'cartoon version' of early tech optimism, but with significant power behind them.
“You get recently when Sam Altman was on Joe Rogan and said, oh, an AI president would be a great idea.”
“And so, you know, these are just, they're silly examples, but you see the ways in which these corporations, these tech companies from Silicon Valley, and especially their charismatic and not so charismatic leaders are just taking on the trappings of the nation state, right? And the functions of democracy.”