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The American public is facing a barrage of mixed messages about artificial intelligence (AI). While some paint grim pictures of widespread job losses and a potential future of oppression—or even humanity’s extinction—others propose an idyllic vision of a world free from labor, illness, and possibly even death, leading to a life devoid of purpose or goals.
Both the doomsayers and the utopians overlook one critical factor: human agency.
The trajectory of AI is not predetermined; rather, it is something that we, as the American populace, have the power to influence.
AI is not a deity with the power to obliterate jobs. It is a tool that people can harness to either eliminate positions or create new opportunities. AI does not choose to wield oppression; instead, individuals develop AI technologies that can either uphold privacy and civil rights or undermine them. The choice to produce poetry or generate adult content with AI rests with people, based on their priorities—in many cases, opting for cheap consumer goods over authentic productivity tools.
These are choices that each of us must engage with daily.
Over the past two decades, I have collaborated with individuals from various backgrounds—some of the finest software developers globally, college dropouts, veterans, self-taught blue-collar workers, and healthcare professionals. They do not view AI as an impending threat; instead, they recognize it as a valuable resource that enhances their productivity and contributes to national safety and prosperity. This mindset should be embraced by everyone.
The benefits of AI belong to all Americans.
Here are several core principles that I have observed among individuals and organizations effectively leveraging AI for meaningful purposes: fostering reindustrialization, enhancing deterrence, improving healthcare, and more.
I. AI is a tool for the American worker, not his replacement
The narrative surrounding job loss is often inflated to attract investors, generate media buzz, and consolidate political influence. The genuine promise of AI within enterprises lies in its potential to increase the productivity of American workers significantly—empowering them rather than replacing them. This assertion is firmly grounded in reality.
Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar (FNC/Palantir)
I have seen maritime manufacturers employ AI to initiate a third shift of work. I have spoken with ICU nurses who have harnessed AI to allow more time with patients, where their skills are most essential.
Pessimism is a privilege of the uninformed; the future of AI is actively being shaped on factory floors and among frontline workers.
II. The American worker will utilize AI to achieve more with less, thereby enhancing their productivity and value
For over a century, American prosperity has thrived on a simple agreement: when workers produce more, they earn more. This agreement began to deteriorate in the 1970s—not due to technological advancements, but as a result of policy decisions that stripped workers of power. We must ensure that history does not repeat itself.
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When AI enables a doubling of output, the worker using it should see that benefit translated into higher pay, equity, and a share in the enterprise. This approach is not about redistributing wealth; it is about giving due acknowledgment. The worker should be viewed as a creator of value, not merely a cost center.
III. The American worker deserves world-class tools, not trivial AI gadgets
The electrical engineer in Georgia who joined the Navy after high school deserves the same technological advantages as a Stanford graduate in Silicon Valley. He deserves access to tools that genuinely enhance productivity, rather than just consumer gimmicks.
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The printing press revolutionized access to knowledge, breaking a monopoly that kept information confined. AI represents a similar revolution in our era. The same technology that empowers Fortune 500 companies should also provide support to the worker in Tulsa, the nurse in Tampa, and the farmer in North Dakota.
The advantages of AI should be available to every American.
IV. AI is an American birthright
AI embodies American resilience, ingenuity, and creativity. It belongs to us by right. No worker should ever feel abandoned due to a lack of training. Everyone deserves access to substantive AI education that empowers them to command the technology, rather than being overwhelmed by it. For instance, an ICU nurse shouldn’t need programming skills; she merely needs AI to present critical patient data when it’s most needed, allowing her well-developed clinical instincts to inform faster and more accurate decisions.
The American worker is not inadequate; they are underutilized. AI is the tool that can change that.
V. AI implementation should be guided by frontline users
Frontline workers possess insights that decision-makers in corporate offices often overlook. Therefore, policies should be developed by practitioners—whether they are ICU nurses, manufacturing technicians, or logistics coordinators—rather than by academics, consultants, or legal professionals.
Toyota developed one of the most effective manufacturing systems by adhering to a straightforward philosophy: the worker possesses the best understanding. Their Creative Idea Suggestion System has been operational for over 70 years. Suggestions originate from the factory floor, not from corner offices. This practice has yielded immense value and fostered a culture where every worker maintains ownership of quality.
AI development and deployment should prioritize American workers and American industry. The goal is not efficiency in the abstract—it is American prosperity in the concrete.
By empowering frontline workers, we allow them to excel in their roles.
VI. AI should be used to eradicate bureaucracy and amplify human agency
AI should streamline processes, not complicate them. There should be no new layers of compliance or “AI governance” committees that impede progress and centralize authority. Instead, AI must enable American workers to operate more swiftly.
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Every bureaucratic layer that obstructs frontline workers from executing their tasks effectively is an obstacle that must be removed.
VII. The development and deployment of AI should prioritize American workers and American industry
The development and deployment of AI must focus on American workers and industries. The objective is not abstract efficiency; it is the real and tangible progress of Americans.
China’s manufacturing productivity is increasing by 6% per annum, while our own languishes at 0.4%. If we neglect investment in AI and automation, we risk being left behind. Empowering the American workforce with AI capabilities can diminish China’s competitive edge.
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I observe these principles being put into action daily by individuals who might not be invited to speak at conferences or contribute to podcasts, but who are demonstrating what can be achieved when the most advanced technology converges with a dedicated workforce.
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Equipped with AI, American workers will revive our industrial sector. They will outperform any competitor and foster prosperity, not only for themselves but also for future generations, who will inherit a thriving nation.
Silicon Valley may develop AI, Wall Street may finance it, and Washington may set the regulations, but it is the American worker—be it in a factory, an ICU, or a field—who will wield this technology.
This dynamic will be the game-changer in our future.
