Engineering Dystopia: The Extremist Ideologies of the AI Elite

Dr. Nathalie Maréchal studies technofascism and how we fight back. A core aspect of her work is contesting AI hype and inevitability narratives, notably those that hinge on the notion of "artificial general intelligence" or "superintelligence." In September she published an explainer on What policymakers and the public need to know about the cult of AI in Tech Policy Press, in which she unpacks some very peculiar beliefs that are prevalent in the AI industry and, she argues, are central to the political project to dismantle liberal democracy. Links What Policymakers and the Public Need to Know About the Cult of AI — by Dr Nathalie Maréchal, Tech Policy Press, 18 September 2026 Nathalie Maréchal, PhD. — Dr Maréchal's website More Everything Forever: AI Overlords, Space Empires, and Silicon Valley's Crusade to Control the Fate of Humanity — by Adam Becker, Hachette, May 2025 Ex-Google Insider | Why AI CEOs & Whistleblowers Are Both Warning You About AI — The Tea in Conversation with Timnit Gebru, 9 October 2026 A Former AI Doomer Reveals a Dark Truth — Cal Newport interviews Emile Torres, 8 October 2026 The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy — by Gil Durán, Simon & Schuster, September 2026 End Times Fascism and the Fight for the Living World — by Naomi Klein & Astra Taylor, September 2026 Tech Policy Press — further articles by Dr Nathalie Maréchal Credits: Produced by Sarah Steel Music by Joe Gould You can support Let's Talk About Sects here. If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with or donate to Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia (via cifs.org.au), and you can find resources outside of Australia with the International Cultic Studies Association (via internationalculticstudies.org). If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention website at iasp.info. Find Sarah's audiobook Do As I Say here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.