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Many scholars concur that a dedicated, small group of passionately committed individuals can indeed alter the course of history. From Margaret Mead’s assertion, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has,” to Ayn Rand’s belief that “As long as men are free to speak, a small, rational minority will always prevail over an irrational majority,” and finally Will Durant’s remark that “The political machine triumphs because it is a united minority acting against a divided majority,” we can see this truth reflected across generations.
Today, we must cast our gaze on a different small yet fervently committed subset—the so-called “effective altruists” (or “Rationalists,” or “Tescreal” adherents). This group has, regrettably, influenced our world in decidedly negative ways.
I will focus on one of their prominent figures, journalist Ezra Klein, the voice behind the pervasive panic surrounding AI that has emerged from this movement, along with the underlying belief systems they espouse.
As we delve into this topic, let’s remember the context in which we find ourselves: we are living in the era of Trump Regime 2.0.
What’s the Trump Regime Doing Talking About Effective Altruism?
Today’s analysis will take us down an intriguing rabbit hole, where surprisingly, Trump supporters may be seen as a voice of reason, while Bernie Sanders finds himself at the opposing end of the spectrum.
In an unexpected twist, Trump supporters seem to have grasped onto a concept that is at least somewhat beneficial, akin to a blind rat in a battlefield ransacking a fallen comrade’s pocket for corn nuts.
Axios captures the Trump administration’s response to effective altruism, albeit with some significant misinterpretations about the nature of this philosophy and the true aims behind the panic surrounding “AI doom.” As Axios states:
The philosophy promotes employing evidence and reason to maximize humanity’s benefit and has significantly influenced parts of the AI safety movement.
However, this has put some supporters in direct opposition to President Trump’s initiative to accelerate AI development in the U.S.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration criticized AI leaders after several prominent voices called for a more cautious approach, citing catastrophic risks associated with the technology.
Trump publicly denounced AI doomers on social media, claiming their fears are akin to “Russiagate” and the various impeachments directed at him.
The Defense Department even called out the effective altruism movement, posting on X, “Americanism, not effective altruism.”
Defense Department Under Secretary Emil Michael described the push for AI safety from EA proponents as rooted in a “pretty dystopian ideology.”
Trump adviser David Sacks referred to organizations tied to effective altruism as part of the “Doomer Industrial Complex,” suggesting they could stifle the U.S.’s competitive edge in the global AI landscape.
Indeed, we find ourselves amidst titanic philosophical debates—take that, Gore Vidal and William Buckley.
At the same time, Bernie Sanders continues to embarrass himself as podcaster Kate Willett pointed out:
It’s so disappointing to see Bernie embracing the EA Evil Machine God narrative instead of addressing the direct, present harms that fall within his purview. https://t.co/9mjW2eANwi pic.twitter.com/Z1JoFQnm2m
— Kate Willett (@katewillett) September 21, 2026
This exchange encapsulates the effective altruism predicament: the unfounded existential threats distract from the actual damages inflicted by companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, alongside their larger corporate backers such as Microsoft, Alphabet/Google, Amazon, Oracle, Meta, and SpaceX.
Perhaps someone should gift Senator Sanders a subscription to the MIT Technology Review to enlighten him with this insightful piece.
Claims of imminent, dangerous superintelligence are unsupported by sound scientific or engineering practices. Rather, they stem from narratives built on ideologies such as transhumanism, eugenics, and sheer wishful thinking about hypothetical future digital forms of humanity.
This curious fixation on programming and mathematics stems from their association as pinnacle achievements of human intellect, while simultaneously offering confirmable solutions. Such portrayals bolster the idea that AI is evolving into unmatched intelligence. Yet these claims mislead policymakers and the public, who might otherwise benefit from consulting mathematical experts rather than relying on press releases.
Those familiar with “the discourse” might recognize Timnit Gebru, co-author of the phrase “stochastic parrots” to describe large language models (LLMs).
A current coordinated campaign is attempting to counter this characterization of AI systems:
The insistence on “it’s not a stochastic parrot” in 2026 is a shared talking point among their advocates. This narrative is being peddled to complacent Democratic politicians as they aim to market their products as all-powerful machine deities, stifle competition, and exploit regulatory advantages.
— @timnitGebru (@dair-community.social/bsky.social) September 22, 2026
David Z. Morris, author of “Stealing the Future: Sam Bankman-Fried, Elite Fraud, and the Cult of Techno-Utopia,” added this observation:
“The assertion ‘it’s not a stochastic parrot’ is foundational to their authoritarian moral framework. They are trading short-term solutions for an envisioned future populated by simulated consciousnesses that must be considered ‘human’ for their mathematics to hold.”
However, if a large language model is merely a reflection—a mere “stochastic parrot”—it lacks consciousness or agency, thereby losing any ethical comparability to humans.
To paraphrase, “it’s not a stochastic parrot” can often be interpreted as “the robot holds equal value to your life.” Recall that while “stochastic parrotry” can yield impressive outputs, it is vastly inefficient compared to genuine thought.
According to Gregory Travis, a cybersecurity expert, this so-called “recursive self-improvement” is not only non-existent in AI but also unattainable through statistical inference.
Turning our focus back to Ezra Klein, a former colleague of mine at Vox Media, he recently penned an entire column advocating for a ban on recursive self-improvement in AI in his urgent appeal titled “There Is Something We Have to Do Right Now About A.I..”
Warning About Non-Existent Problems Is a Great Distraction From Real Ones
Ezra’s arguments are vigorous:
Humanity must actively control this frontier, which entails halting the potential for recursive self-improvement—the scenario where AIs begin to autonomously design and enhance new generations of even more advanced AIs at increasingly swift rates. We lack proper control over current AI systems to justify unleashing them for future developments.
I’m not alone in this concern. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, cautioned that recursive self-improvement “could surpass our understanding and management capabilities, necessitating extreme caution, if it’s to be pursued at all.”
As previously noted by Travis, “Recursive Self-Improvement” is not currently a reality in AI, nor can it occur through statistical inference.
Yet, Klein’s gullibility has been a pivotal factor in his rise to prominence. When the controversial Affordable Care Act sought clarification for easily resolvable questions, Ezra was there. One can almost hear Obama exclaim, “What a clever lad,” as he rewards Klein for his efforts.
Ezra’s Made This Topic a Centerpiece of His Career
Consider the following timeline:
| Date | Ezra Klein and Effective Altruism |
|---|---|
| 15 Oct 2018 Vox |
Launch of Future Perfect, Vox’s section on effective altruism, supported by a $380,000 grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. Fast Company |
| 20 Mar 2021 80,000 Hours |
Klein features on the EA recruiting podcast, episode 94. 80,000 Hours |
| 5 Oct 2021 Ezra Klein Show |
Discussion with Holden Karnofsky of Open Philanthropy: “How to Do the Most Good.” Apple Podcasts |
| 9 Aug 2022 Ezra Klein Show |
Interview with Will MacAskill about longtermism, coinciding with What We Owe the Future. Apple Podcasts |
| 4 Dec 2022 NYT column |
Three weeks post-FTX collapse, Klein directs readers to GiveWell. NYT |
| 24 Jul 2023 80,000 Hours |
Klein returns to discuss AI existential risks, urging safety advocates to relocate to Washington. 80,000 Hours |
| 12 Apr 2024 Ezra Klein Show |
Exploration of “What if Dario Amodei Is Right About A.I.?” Apple Podcasts |
| Mar 2025 Book |
Abundance is released. Coinciding, Open Philanthropy unveils a $120,000,000 Abundance & Growth Fund, citing the book. Coefficient Giving |
| 16 Nov 2025 Axios |
Klein operates as a Democratic powerbroker, raising concerns within the Times. Axios |
| 21 Apr 2026 Ezra Klein Show |
“Why Are Palantir and OpenAI Scared of Alex Bores?”—discussing the AI super PAC conflict from the safety perspective. NYT |
| 24 Apr 2026 Ezra Klein Show |
“What We Got Right—and Wrong—in ‘Abundance,’” featuring discussions with Derek Thompson and Marc Dunkelman. NYT |
| 12 Jun 2026 American Prospect |
Leaked fundraising documents from the Abundance Network identify Klein as a key intellectual player, raising internal concerns within the Times regarding his involvement. American Prospect |
| 18 Aug 2026 Ezra Klein Show |
Featuring Helen Toner, a former board member at OpenAI, stating, “The AIs Are Already Out of Control.” NYT |
| 20 Sep 2026 NYT column + show |
“We’re Not Losing Control of A.I. We’re Giving It Away”—pleading for a ban on labs training models autonomously. NYT |
There’s also Future Perfect, a subsection of Vox.com that features Effective Altruism advocate Dylan Matthews, who transitioned from Vox to become an associate program officer at Coefficient Giving’s Abundance & Growth Fund, just in time for the Abundance launch. Here’s a look at the funders:
| Funder | Amount | To | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockefeller Foundation | $380,000 | Future Perfect launch | 2018–19 |
| Animal Charity Evaluators | $350,000 + $120,514 | Future Perfect | 2020–22 |
| BEMC Foundation (James McClave) | $611,527 | Future Perfect | 2021–23 |
| Building a Stronger Future (Bankman-Fried) | $200,000 | Future Perfect | 2022 |
| Open Philanthropy and others | $4,000,000 | The Argument | 2025 |
| Coefficient Giving (ex-Open Philanthropy) | $120,000,000 | Abundance & Growth Fund | 2025–28 |
| Dustin Moskovitz | $40,000,000 | Abundance groups (leaked deck) | 2025 |
| Anthropic | $20,000,000 | Public First Action PAC | 2026 |
| a16z, Greg and Anna Brockman, others | $140,000,000+ | Leading the Future PAC | 2025–26 |
This impressive list of philanthropic backers certainly puts Rockefeller’s dimes to newsboys into perspective!
| Date | What Open Philanthropy’s Funding Bought Outside Vox |
|---|---|
| 13 Oct 2023 Politico |
Open Philanthropy finances the salaries of several AI fellows within the Senate, Pentagon, DHS, State Department, and the House Science Committee through the Horizon Institute established in 2022. Schumer’s primary AI senators each had one fellow. Politico |
| 7 Dec 2025 Semafor |
The Tarbell Center facilitates funding for AI reporters at Time, Bloomberg, The Verge, the LA Times, The Information, and NBC News. NBC’s disclosure came only after OpenAI raised concerns. Vox’s funding page mentions Tarbell as well. Semafor |
| 2 Sep 2026 Effort News |
Tarbell’s total grants amount to approximately $7.5 million, primarily from Coefficient Giving (formerly Open Philanthropy), across placements in 19 media outlets. Effort News |
| 2025–26 Super PACs |
The AI PAC conflict: Leading the Future=$140 million+ vs. Public First Action ($20 million from Anthropic). TechCrunch |
Now, let’s hear from Émile P. Torres, a leading critic of Silicon Valley dogma, as he dismantles Effective Altruism.
I Present: Émile P. Torres Reformed Transhumanist
Here’s Torres’ seminal 2023 article for Truthdig: “Effective Altruism Is a Welter of Lies, Hypocrisy, and Eugenic Fantasies”:
It’s been a disastrous year for Effective Altruism, commonly abbreviated as “EA,” the cultural movement that endeavors to leverage “evidence and reason” to find the most impactful ways to do good.
A year ago, the EA community was thriving. Its emblematic figure, philosopher William MacAskill, had just released his book “What We Owe the Future,” championing a long-term vision of humanity’s best interests that extends thousands or millions of years ahead, showcasing the relatively under-addressed future. This idea, dubbed “longtermism,” hinges on a vision where we might reengineer humanity, colonize space, exploit cosmic resources, and ultimately maximize universal value by creating numerous “digital people” experiencing “happy” lives in extensive computer simulations.
If this sounds peculiar and potentially hazardous, that’s because it is. Yet, MacAskill and the EA ethos received largely favorable coverage from prominent outlets, including The New Yorker, The Guardian, and Time magazine, with MacAskill even gracing “The Daily Show” to discuss his charitable contributions.
This was EA’s pivotal moment to win public support for the movement and the longtermist “ethic.” However, it backfired spectacularly due to a string of scandals, prominently including crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried, who was convicted of one of the most significant financial frauds in U.S. history.
Due to limitations in space, here are a few bullet points from Torres’ critique of the interconnected beliefs prevalent in what he terms TESCREAL:
- “Why longtermism is the world’s most dangerous secular credo.” AEON 2021
- Human Extinction: A History of the Science and Ethics of Annihilation (book, 2024)
- The TESCREAL bundle — transhumanism, extropianism, singularitarianism, cosmism, rationalism, effective altruism, longtermism. First Monday, with Timnit Gebru 2024
- Under a Mask of AI Doomerism, the Familiar Face of Eugenics Truthdig 2025
- Sam Altman’s Dangerous Singularity Delusions. Truthdig 2026
- The Tyrannical Race to Build Superintelligence Truthdig 2026
- The ASI Extinction Debate Is the Opposite of What You Think Realtime Techpocalypse 2026
- AI Safety, Explained Realtime Techpocalypse 2026
Stay tuned for future editions where we’ll discuss “If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies” co-authors Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares, their connections to Peter Thiel, organizations like MIRI and CFAR, the Zizian offshoot, and more.
Related Links
- AI Doomer Hypeloop Suspiciously Serves to Support OpenAI & Anthropic’s Agenda
- Stressed Oligarchs at Meta, OpenAI, and the Ellison Empire
- Will the Trump Admin Make OpenAI Its Lucky 31st Investment and Bailout Softbank?
- OpenAI, Amazon Colluding With Trump Against Anthropic
- Resistance Meets Reaction, Pope, Pension Funds, Data Centers, Trump Crypto Edition
- Abundance Bro Seth London & Lis Smith’s Caper Typifies State of the Art Dem Dark Money Schemes
- AI’s Reputational Crisis Leads to Popular Backlash and Violence
- OpenAI Trial Pits Elon Musk vs. Sam Altman
- Palantir’s Manifesto Drops and So Does Objection
- Silicon Valley Accelerationists Take On the World and Everyone in It
- AIPAC, Crypto, Gambling, AI Money Coalitions Up The Dark Money Game in Dem Primaries
- What Are They Thinking? Son, Altman, Ellison Edition
- Silicon Valley Ideologies as a Lens for Viewing Current Events
- Palantir, Peter Thiel, Alex Karp, and the Antichrist
- The Abundance Bros Notice the AI Bubble but What Is Their Narrative Leaving Out?
