In the last few years, we have seen an explosion of different types of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI language models (or “chatbots”) have become a tool for many students (Impact Research, 2024), whereas companies like Boston Dynamics have been showcasing their human-like robots that can perform tasks no machine could before (Boston Dynamics, 2023). As we approach what the World Economic Forum dubbed the “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” we must have a framework that gives us the tools to analyze the possible effects of AI and how to best use AI in an emancipatory way (World Economic Forum, 2024). With funding from the McNair Scholars Program, I conducted research on the possible effects of AI using the philosophical framework of historical materialism. In this research brief, I will discuss this framework and how it provides a perspective from which to look at AI in a positive light.
What is Historical Materialism?
Historical materialism is a philosophy of history that sees history as the development of the “productive forces” (i.e., technology) of society (Marx, 1859). Each epoch (i.e., stage) of history is made possible by a development in technology. For most of human history, we organized ourselves in hunter-gatherer economies (Gowdy, 2021); however, the development of agriculture allowed us to leave that lifestyle behind to move towards new forms of social organization (Carey, 2023). Every time there is a major development in technology, society undergoes a transformation. According to historical materialism, such transformations result in progress. For example, the development of capitalism was, in many ways, emancipatory for humanity as it allowed us to increase our quality of life by a great margin (Josh Swan, 2020). However, that does not mean that this stage is the “end of history,” as history keeps moving forward and technological development will certainly not halt either.
How Was the Research Conducted?
To conduct this research, I compiled a list of readings on the philosophy of history, AI, and automation. These included reports from organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and the American Economic Association; books such as Automation and the Future of Work (Benanav, 2022), The Phenomenology of Spirit (Hegel, 1998), The Wealth of Nations (Smith, 2010), Capitalism and Freedom (Friedman & Friedman, 1962); and various relevant passages about automation from works such as The Grundrisse (Marx, 2005) and Capital (Marx, 2004). I used the app Notion to take notes throughout each reading, utilizing the Cornell notes template. Additionally, I implemented a color-coding system to highlight my notes based on their relevance to either AI or history. I approached these texts through the framework of historical materialism, consistently asking whether AI is powerful enough to create historical change and, more importantly, what type of society AI might create. After compiling all my sources and notes, I reflected on how technology has historically been the primary driver of change within economic systems. However, to transform the system itself, that technology must be revolutionary—something entirely unprecedented. I concluded that AI possesses the potential to create such historical change.
How Much Will AI Change Our Society?
If AI is powerful enough to create a new historical epoch, what type of society does AI give us? The International Monetary Fund predicts that 40% of jobs are at risk of being exposed to replacement by AI; this number rises to 60% for advanced or developed economies like the United States and Japan (International Monetary Fund, 2024). While we cannot exactly predict the type of societal changes that AI will bring, my research led me to conclude that the consequences for our ways of living and our economies will be massive. The effects of automation, even in its early stages, have already been felt as we have seen a decline in one of the main drivers of employment growth within the U.S. economy: manufacturing employment (Harris, 2020). Today, all the labor lost from manufacturing has been absorbed by the service industry, which now contains 74 percent of all workers in high-income countries and 52 percent worldwide (Benanav, 2022, p. 21). AI threatens to eliminate such a substantial number of jobs that it would be improbable for the same amount to be created in other industries.
What Are the Emancipatory Capabilities of AI?
While these predictions about AI may sound negative, I want to offer a positive perspective. First, I believe this technological automation has the capability to eliminate many jobs that are usually seen as “bad” jobs or outright inhumane; for example, jobs that cause long-term damage to the physical or mental health of workers (e.g., blue-collar jobs), not to mention the horrible reality of child labor which is still very present in some parts of the world (UNICEF, 2024). Second, I believe this elimination of jobs will force us to reconsider the way we think about work and how to earn a living. If, in the words of Yuval Harari, many people become “unemployable,” then we must create more social safety nets (e.g., Universal Basic Income) for everyone who cannot simply “get a job” to survive (Harari, 2024). Finally, I believe, following 20th-century economist John Maynard Keynes, that this technology will allow for enough productivity for society to produce all our basic needs more easily such as food, clothing, and housing. Moreover, it will allow us to do so while working less for it (or not at all), thus giving us more leisure time to spend with our family, friends, or to engage in our main hobbies (Keynes, 2010). In conclusion, AI can be an emancipatory technology for our society.
How Do We Get There?
It is important to acknowledge that just because historical materialism argues that history has this forward momentum, it does not mean we do not have to act. We must take our circumstances and struggle to build a better future for ourselves. We must fight for social safety nets that do not leave people who lose their jobs due to AI on their own; we must propose guidelines for the use of AI in such a way that it works for the benefit of all. My research led me to believe that the answer to the question of “What type of society does AI give us?” is a more egalitarian one; but we must take this task upon ourselves to use AI to build this future.
There are many people without whom I could not have done this. First, thank you so much to Professor Nick Smith for being my McNair Research Advisor and the person who sparked my interest and passion in philosophy. You have helped me grow since the day we met, and I will be forever grateful. I would also like to thank the UNH Philosophy Department, with special thanks to Professor Subrena Smith and Professor Laure Barillas, for guiding me this semester and encouraging me to grow and learn more as a student and a philosopher. I would like to extend my gratitude to the McNair Scholars Program and the U.S. Department of Education for supporting my research; programs like this are the reason everyone has the chance to grow and learn regardless of their backgrounds. Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends for being there for me and supporting me throughout this process. Special thanks to Dija Haq, my best friend, for always being there for me and putting up with my rants about philosophy.
References
Benanav, A. (2022). Automation and the future of work. Verso Books.
Boston Dynamics. (2023, January 18). Atlas gets a grip | Boston Dynamics [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e1_QhJ1EhQ
Carey, J. (2023). Unearthing the origins of agriculture. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(15). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2304407120
Friedman, M., & Friedman, R. D. (1962). Capitalism and freedom. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Gowdy, J. M. (2021). Our Hunter-Gatherer heritage and the evolution of human nature. In Cambridge University Press eBooks (pp. 41–63). https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108974264.005
Harari, Y. N. (2024, July 25). The rise of the useless class. ideas.ted.com. https://ideas.ted.com/the-rise-of-the-useless-class/#:~:text=In%20the%2….
Harris, K. (2020, November 20). Forty years of falling manufacturing employment. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-9/forty-years-of-falling-manufactur…
Hegel, G. W. F. (1998). Phenomenology of spirit. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.
Impact Research. (2024). AI Chatbots in Schools Findings from a Poll of K-12 Teachers, Students, Parents, and College Undergraduates. https://8ce82b94a8c4fdc3ea6d-b1d233e3bc3cb10858bea65ff05e18f2.ssl.cf2.r…
International Monetary Fund. (2024). Gen-AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work. In International Monetary Fund.
Josh Swan. (2020). Capitalism and its impact on global living standards – City-REDI blog. https://blog.bham.ac.uk/cityredi/capitalism-and-its-impact-on-global-li…
Keynes, J. M. (2010). Economic possibilities for our grandchildren. In Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks (pp. 321–332). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-59072-8_25
Marx, K. (1859). Economic Manuscripts: preface to a contribution to the critique of political economy. https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1859/critique-pol-economy/p…
Marx, K. (2004). Capital: Volume I. Penguin UK.
Marx, K. (2005). Grundrisse: Foundations of the Critique of Political Economy. Penguin UK.
Smith, A. (2010). The wealth of nations: The Economics Classic - A Selected Edition for the Contemporary Reader. John Wiley & Sons.
UNICEF. (2024, July 25). Child Labor Statistics - UNICEF DATA. UNICEF DATA. https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-labour/#data
World Economic Forum. (2024, September 10). The Fourth Industrial Revolution: what it means and how to respond. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolutio…
Author and Mentor Bios
Jesus LaPaz is a 2024 UNH McNair Scholar with a dual major in philosophy and justice studies. Jesus is also a Trio Scholar and Paul Scholar, and belongs to the UNH Mock Trial Team, UNH Ethics Bowl Team, and Socratic Society. He plans to apply for a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) through the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research in 2025 and is applying to the accelerated master’s program in English literature at UNH. Jesus intends to pursue a career in academia, ultimately becoming a professor of philosophy. He is most interested in exploring the philosophical and literary aspects of how capitalism oppresses human subjectivity and creativity.
Dr. Nick Smith J.D./Ph.D., is a professor of philosophy and has been teaching at the University of New Hampshire since 2002. He teaches and writes on issues in law, politics, and society. Dr. Smith has published I Was Wrong: The Meanings of Apologies in 2008 and Justice through Apologies: Remorse, Reform, and Punishment in 2014 (both with Cambridge University Press). He has been interviewed or appeared in many major news outlets, including the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR and BBC, among others. Smith has mentored numerous undergraduate researchers and Inquiry authors.
Copyright © 2024, Jesus LaPaz
