The Trump administration is cutting large swaths of the federal workforce, planning to replace those workers with chatbots, automated tools, and an “AI-first” vision of governance. This adoption of artificial intelligence technology carries significant risks to the public’s rights and safety, but even so, the administration is working to tear down safeguards put in place during the Biden era.
This shift toward government by AI is unsurprising given that Trump’s campaign was paid for by many of the tech executives who stand to profit from such contracts — but is self-dealing the only threat? These early moves also appear to be an effort to dismantle critical institutions of democracy and put in place a corporate-driven state. How will this approach impact Americans?
Join the Brennan Center on Wednesday, April 2, at 3 p.m. ET for a discussion with a leading technology journalist, former government AI leaders, and Brennan Center experts. They will offer perspectives on how to make sense of what the administration is doing at the behest of tech billionaires and how to hold them accountable to democratic norms and values.
Speakers:
- Vittoria Elliott, Platforms and Power Reporter, Wired
- Eric Hysen, Former CIO and Chief AI Officer, Department of Homeland Security
- Faiza Patel, Senior Director, Brennan Center Liberty and National Security Program
- Suresh Venkatasubramanian, Professor of Data Science and Computer Science, Brown University
- Moderator: Kareem Crayton, Vice President for Washington, DC, Brennan Center