The AI leaders can't be trusted for AI predictions

A new essay argues that AI industry leaders have become harder to trust on predictions about AI’s societal impact, pointing to recent shifts in messaging. It claims early warnings about job disruption were unpopular, and that the tone has since contributed to anti–data center sentiment, citing that 71% of Americans oppose data centers. The piece highlights policy changes in Texas and Ohio, where incumbent Republican leaders moved to block projects. It also notes that figures such as Dario Amodei and Sam Altman now say jobs won’t be lost, while Anthropic’s IPO roadshow reportedly claims a $30 trillion total addressable market. The author compares these narratives to past influence tactics, including those attributed to Elon Musk.