Pastime | Episode
Pastime

#1824 The Next Gilded Age: AI Doomsday and the Insatiable Business Model https://www.bestoftheleft.com/1824

Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy | Sep 26 2026 | 03:51:43

Air Date: 9/26/2026

Today we explore the layers of chaos surrounding the AI industry, including the idealistic nerds-turned-nazis, the grift, bubble, and doom-marketing business model, and what people are doing to fight back.

Full Show Notes

Transcript

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Support and Get No Ads!)

Everything in one place! (Support, contact, follow, books + merch)

TOP TAKES

KP 1: Do Silicon Valley Billionaires Want to End Democracy? - Political Breakdown - Air Date 8-14-26

KP 2: The AI Bubble Is Bigger And More Dangerous Than You Think Part 1 - The Tea with Myriam François - Air Date 9-11-26

KP 3: OpenAI's Math Battle - Elena OnOffline - Air Date 9-9-26

KP 4: Muskism Is the New Fordism with Ben Tarnoff & Quinn Slobodian - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 5-7-26

KP 5: Monologue: Jacob Coxon and the AI Safety Grift - Better Offline - Air Date 9-10-26

KP 6: The Real AI Jobs Apocalypse - Blood in the Machine - Air Date 9-4-26

KP 7: AI Has Ruined the Internet - Adam Conover - Air Date 8-31-26

KP 8: You Don't Hate AI Enough. - Nash Keune - Air Date 9-20-26

(01:00:11) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

AI Turned "Just a Little Bit More" Into a Business Model

My commentaries on YouTube - Share them!

DEEPER DIVES

(01:12:47) SECTION A: THE NERD REICH - WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY BELIEVE

A1: We Uncovered The Master Plan That Peter Thiel Doesn't Want You To See - More Perfect Union - Air Date 6-29-26

A2: Valerie Veatch: Ghost in the Machine — AI as Eugenics - Pivot to AI - Air Date 9-11-26

A3: The 'End Times Fascists' of AI - Blood in the Machine - Air Date 9-13-26

A4: Silicon Valley's Dark Future Is Almost Here - Michael Burns - Air Date 9-2-26

A5: "The Nerd Reich": Author Gil Durán on Big Tech Fascism, Peter Thiel, JD Vance & the War on Democracy - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-17-26

(01:58:16) SECTION B: WHAT AI IS ACTUALLY DOING TO US

B1: The Al Question No One Wants to Ask Part 1 - Struthless - Air Date 6-9-26

B2: "Deep Unlearning": Timnit Gebru on AI Hype, Ethics & Algorithmic Racial Bias - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-13-26

B3: The Al Question No One Wants to Ask Part 2 - Struthless - Air Date 6-9-26

B4: Never Learn Again! AI Will Do It For You - Harland Spinks - Air Date 8-31-26

B5: Cybersecurity Has An AI Doomer Problem. - Marcus Hutchins - Air Date 9-15-…