Artificial Power: 2025 Landscape Report - AI Now Institute
In the aftermath of the “AI boom,” this report examines how the push to integrate AI products everywhere grants AI companies - and the tech oligarchs that run them - power that goes far beyond their deep pockets.
Download Full Report Read the Executive Summary Overview Artificial Power, our 2025 Landscape Report, puts forward an actionable strategy for the public to reclaim agency over the future of AI. In the aftermath of the “AI boom,” the report examines how the push to integrate AI products everywhere grants AI companies – and the tech oligarchs that run them – power that goes far beyond their deep pockets. We need to reckon with the ways in which today’s AI isn’t just being used by us, it’s being used on us. The report moves from diagnosis to action: offering concrete strategies for community organizers, policymakers, and the public to change this trajectory. Executive Summary AI Now Institute 1.1: The AGI Mythology: The Argument to End All Arguments AI Now Institute 1.2: Too Big to Fail: Infrastructure and Capital Push AI Now Institute 1.3: AI Arms Race 2.0: From Deregulation to Industrial Policy AI Now Institute 1.4: Recasting Regulation as a Barrier to Innovation AI Now Institute 2: Heads I Win, Tails You Lose: How Tech Companies Have Rigged the AI Market AI Now Institute 3: Consulting the Record: AI Consistently Fails the Public AI Now Institute 4: A Roadmap for Action: Make AI a Fight About Power, Not Progress AI Now Institute Acknowledgments Authored by Kate Brennan, Amba Kak, and Dr. Sarah Myers West. With research support from Mohammed Ali, Yasmine Chokrane, Madeline Kim, Tekendra Parmar, Tanya Raja, and Boxi Wu. Special thanks to Rhiana Gunn-Wright for her feedback and editorial contributions. Project management by Ellen Schwartz. Copyediting by Caren Litherland. Design by Partner & Partners. With contributions and feedback from: Annette Bernhardt, UC Berkeley Labor Center Abeba Birhane, Artificial Intelligence Accountability Lab, Trinity College Dublin Brian Chen, Data & Society Jane Chung, Justice Speaks Stefanie Coyle, New York Civil Liberties Union Andrea Dehlendorf, AI Now Kevin DeLiban, TechTonic Justice Becca Deutsch, Amazon Employees for Climate Justice Alix Dunn, The Maybe Alli Finn, AI Now Timnit Gebru, Distributed AI Research Center Ryan Gerety, Athena Coalition Lisa Gilbert, Public Citizen Sam Gordon, Tech Equity Collaborative Janet Haven, Data & Society Nidhi Hegde, American Economic Liberties Project Ben Inskeep, Citizen Action Coalition of Indiana Taylor Jo Isenberg, Economic Security Project Heidy Khlaaf, AI Now Stephen Lerner, Action Center for Race and the Economy – Bargaining for the Common Good Barry Lynn, Open Markets Institute Varoon Mathur, Duke Institute for Health Innovation, Duke Health Jill McArdle, Beyond Fossil Fuels Michelle Meagher, SOMO Brian Merchant, Independent Journalist Erie Meyer, Georgetown University Sarah Miller, American Economic Liberties Project Stacy Mitchell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance Arvind Narayanan, Center for Information Technology Policy, Princeton University Chris Nielsen, National Nurses United Teri Olle, Economic Security Project Britt Paris, Rutgers University Tekendra Parmar, Investigative Journalist Reshma Ramachandran, Yale School of Medicine Steven Renderos, MediaJustice Rashida Richardson, Worcester Polytechnic Institute & Northeastern University Hilary Ronen, Local Progress Leevi Saari, AI Now Hannah Sassaman, People’s Tech Project Matt Scherer, Center for Democracy and Technology Paromita Shah, Just Futures Law Ganesh Sitaraman, Vanderbilt University Andrew Strait, UK AI Security Institute Kasia Tarczynska, Good Jobs First Jim Thomas, Scanthehorizon.org Max Von Thun, Open Markets Institute Jai Vipra, Cornell University Robert Weissman, Public Citizen Meredith Whittaker, Signal Savannah Wilson, Clean Virginia Boxi Wu, Oxford University Cite as: Kate Brennan, Amba Kak, and Sarah Myers West, “Artificial Power: AI Now 2025 Landscape”, AI Now Institute, June 3, 2025, https://ainowinstitute.org/2025-landscape.
Executive Summary
The 'Artificial Power: 2025 Landscape Report' by the AI Now Institute critically examines the current trajectory of AI integration and its implications for public agency. The report argues that the rapid deployment of AI technologies has concentrated power in the hands of a few tech oligarchs, often at the expense of public welfare. It debunks the myth of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and highlights how deregulation and industrial policy have fueled an AI arms race. The report also exposes how tech companies have manipulated the AI market to their advantage and consistently failed public interests. It concludes with a roadmap for action, advocating for a shift in focus from AI as progress to AI as a matter of power dynamics.
Key Points
- ▸ Debunking the AGI mythology and its role in justifying unchecked AI development.
- ▸ Examining the infrastructure and capital push that has made AI companies 'too big to fail'.
- ▸ Analyzing the AI arms race driven by deregulation and industrial policy.
- ▸ Highlighting how tech companies have rigged the AI market to their advantage.
- ▸ Providing a roadmap for action to reclaim public agency over AI.
Merits
Comprehensive Analysis
The report provides a thorough examination of the current state of AI, covering various aspects from mythology to market manipulation.
Actionable Strategies
The report offers concrete strategies for community organizers, policymakers, and the public to address the power dynamics in AI.
Interdisciplinary Approach
The report integrates insights from various fields, including policy, economics, and technology, to present a holistic view.
Demerits
Lack of Specific Case Studies
While the report is comprehensive, it could benefit from more specific case studies to illustrate its points.
Broad Generalizations
Some arguments may be seen as overly broad, potentially oversimplifying complex issues.
Limited International Scope
The report focuses primarily on the U.S. context, which may limit its applicability to other regions.
Expert Commentary
The 'Artificial Power: 2025 Landscape Report' is a timely and critical examination of the current state of AI. It effectively challenges the prevailing narratives around AI development and deployment, highlighting the concentration of power and the lack of public agency. The report's interdisciplinary approach and actionable strategies make it a valuable resource for policymakers, community organizers, and the public. However, the report could benefit from more specific case studies and a broader international scope to enhance its applicability and depth. Overall, the report provides a robust foundation for rethinking the role of AI in society and offers practical steps for reclaiming public agency.
Recommendations
- ✓ Incorporate more specific case studies to illustrate the report's arguments and enhance its credibility.
- ✓ Expand the scope to include international contexts to make the report more globally relevant.
- ✓ Engage with a broader range of stakeholders to ensure a more inclusive and comprehensive analysis.
