Her main point is that AI isn’t merely a technology — it’s a force that governs, often developed and implemented outside the usual democratic processes that determine how power functions. For Lepore, the true narrative around AI’s rise isn’t about the chatbots and image generators we interact with daily. Why Backlash MattersOn Decoder, Lepore explained to host Nilay Patel that the pushback against AI from workers, artists, regulators, and everyday citizens plays a crucial role. Lepore also discussed figures like Elon Musk, whose companies are at the crossroads of AI development and governmental influence. The EU’s AI Act (the European Union’s comprehensive rules for AI use, similar to GDPR for data privacy) enters a critical enforcement phase.