The Luddites Were Right All Along: Lessons from 19th Century Rebels Who Fought Back Against Exploitative Technology

The original Luddites were 19th century textile workers who rebelled against factories replacing their skilled labor with power looms.
They staged overnight attacks to smash the new industrial machines they felt were exploiting them and widening class divides.
Their story has been forgotten over time, reduced to a blanket term for anyone who resists new technology.
But their prescience about technology's potential harms is newly relevant as AI and automation reshape modern work.
As machines again threaten jobs, we can learn from the Luddites' pushback against tech always bringing progress if it doesn't benefit all.

qz.com

Relevant topic timeline:

8/31/2023

Column: What Stephen King — and nearly everyone else — gets wrong about AI and the Luddites

Stephen King, a renowned author, defends generative AI by comparing it to the Luddites' resistance to industrial progress, despite the fact that the Luddites were actually protesting against the exploitation of workers through machinery, not progress itself. However, many creatives are concerned about AI's impact on their livelihoods, as it eradicates revenue streams and reduces opportunities for emerging artists, making it crucial to critically examine how the technology is being utilized.

8/31/2023

In 1909, E.M. Forster foresaw the real threat from AI - The Boston Globe

The article discusses the potential dangers of AI, drawing on E.M. Forster's 1909 novella "The Machine Stops," which warns that technology can lead to a society that is lethargic, isolated, and devoid of purpose, rather than a machine uprising like often portrayed in Hollywood.

9/1/2023

What the Luddites Can Teach Us about AI

The Luddites were not technophobes but rather fought against the specific ways in which technology was used to exploit and harm them, a parallel to the modern backlash against Big Tech and AI that is disrupting the labor market.

9/10/2023

Modern Tech Titans Follow precedent Set by 18th Century Disruptor Who Exploited Workers

Main topic: The inhumane cost of capitalism and the origins of rebellion against big tech Key points: 1. The first tech titans were not building global information networks or commercial space rockets, but were instead focused on yarn and cloth production. 2. Entrepreneurs in the 18th and 19th centuries saw opportunities to use technology to disrupt existing customs and increase profits. 3. Richard Arkwright, considered the first tech titan, combined automated machinery with a strict work regime and labor exploitation to achieve massive wealth and success.

9/26/2023

As AI Threatens Jobs, the Luddites' Resistance Holds New Relevance

Brian Merchant argues that understanding the true history of the Luddites is important for workers today who are grappling with the rise of AI and automation, as the Luddites were not against machinery but opposed the exploitation of workers and the erosion of their livelihoods by factory owners using new technology to drive down wages and worsen conditions.

10/8/2023

Investigation Reveals 200,000 Books Used Without Permission to Train AI, Outraging Many Authors

Tech companies are facing backlash from authors after it was revealed that almost 200,000 pirated e-books were used to train artificial intelligence systems, with many authors expressing outrage and feeling exploited by the unauthorized use of their work.

10/8/2023

Authors Cry Foul as Tech Giants Use Pirated Books to Train AI Without Permission

Tech companies are facing backlash from authors whose books were used without permission to train artificial intelligence systems, with the data set consisting of pirated e-books; authors are expressing outrage and calling it theft, while some see it as an opportunity for their work to be read and educate.

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Posted 9/21/2023, 8:25:00 PM

The Luddites Were Right All Along: Lessons from 19th Century Rebels Who Fought Back Against Exploitative Technology

The original Luddites were 19th century textile workers who rebelled against factories replacing their skilled labor with power looms.
They staged overnight attacks to smash the new industrial machines they felt were exploiting them and widening class divides.
Their story has been forgotten over time, reduced to a blanket term for anyone who resists new technology.
But their prescience about technology's potential harms is newly relevant as AI and automation reshape modern work.
As machines again threaten jobs, we can learn from the Luddites' pushback against tech always bringing progress if it doesn't benefit all.

qz.com

Relevant topic timeline:

8/31/2023

Column: What Stephen King — and nearly everyone else — gets wrong about AI and the Luddites

8/31/2023

In 1909, E.M. Forster foresaw the real threat from AI - The Boston Globe

9/1/2023

What the Luddites Can Teach Us about AI

9/10/2023

Modern Tech Titans Follow precedent Set by 18th Century Disruptor Who Exploited Workers

9/26/2023

As AI Threatens Jobs, the Luddites' Resistance Holds New Relevance

10/8/2023

Investigation Reveals 200,000 Books Used Without Permission to Train AI, Outraging Many Authors

10/8/2023

Authors Cry Foul as Tech Giants Use Pirated Books to Train AI Without Permission