Silicon Valley sees AI as the solution – for everyone else, it’s the problem
Summary
The Observer piece argues that intelligence is not the main bottleneck to progress and that governance, regulation, and data access are the real constraints shaping AI diffusion, medicine, and broader society. It critiques Silicon Valley’s solutionist optimism and outlines a dystopian potential where AI-driven gains exacerbate inequality unless policy reforms and better data access are pursued. The author also analyzes the SF monoculture around AGI and calls for grounded analysis of how technology translates into real-world outcomes.