The early, more humanistic Karl Marx described some of the conditions of early industrialization, including abhorrent working conditions, overwork and underpay, worker alienation, and child labor abuses. With time, he became increasingly jaded and austere, concocting radical prescriptions in a closed, unfalsifiable (as opposed to the supposed “scientific” methods he postulated) philosophy. “Unfalsifiable” in the sense that it adapts to failed predictions with ad-hoc explanations.

Indeed, the failed predictions of Marxism are many: Capitalism did (and does) adapt, starting with the Factory Acts and numerous subsequent Worker Rights’ legislation; communist revolutions occurred in non-capitalist societies; the “Dictatorship of the Proletariat” was not temporary, instead, absolute power corrupted absolutely; rather than “withering away,” the communist state becomes totalitarian.

However unattainable in reality, many are attracted to the imagined idealistic attributes of socialism and communism. These include less work and more leisure time in some jolly, self-sufficient commune where equality and equity prevails thanks to technological advances.

The more humanistic thread in Marx’s polemics envisioned a society wherein science and technology freed individuals from the drudgery of work, and creates abundance. In a milieu transformed by historical materialism, technology would automate labor and free humans from alienation, enabling them to realize their creative potentials.

That invokes the promise of AI. It is probably very enticing to fanciful communists who relish such Marxisms as, “From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs.” After all, technological progress can help provide our basic subsistence needs.

While AI’s productivity enhancements can help liberate humans from the constraints of economic determinism, it is not Marxist. If anything, it is further proof of the futility of Marxism because AI is born in the competitive cauldron of capitalism. It is said that nothing gets better without competition, and that is intense amongst the “People of the Year” -- the Architects of A.I. So much so that companies are forking over fortunes to attract talented developers.

Marx criticized technology under capitalism as a tool to dominate labor. While AI could increase worker alienation (less human control), with astute supervision it could decrease it by offloading repetitive, mundane tasks.

History has proven Marx to be wrong about just about everything -- were in not unfalsifiable (they always insist “things will be different this time”). Free-market capitalism is not only the path to prosperity, it can also be the path to a fulfilling and abundant life aided by AI. By contrast, there’d be no rewards or other incentives to further technological progress in a state of communist catatonia.

Marx criticized the use of technology under capitalism, but AI is falsifying his closed system once again. Ironically, it could well help humanity reach some of his utopian objectives, but from within a mostly capitalist system. In that sense, communism is not needed -- AI can potentially put the nail in the communist coffin.

Image: AT via Magic Studio