Only now are we seeing the full extent of the outcome. In 2013 when the Snowden papers were leaked, it was the day the world of spying and espionage changed for ever. It was a trigger for a shift in the status quo, in power, in advantage. Despite Wikileaks continued efforts to reveal the activities of Deep State, it wasn’t until the Snowden papers hit did it reveal the sheer magnitude of global surveillance programs on different country populations.
But of course the biggest attention was paid to states perceived as the biggest threat to the west that include N. Korea, Iran and China were a significant focus. Whilst Iran and North Korea intensified ‘sabre rattling’ positions, posting and swapping threats with the west, China decided to quietly become a technology Superpower. Silently and without fuss, China decided to close the door on anyone wanting to listening in. It was a move that certainly took the US somewhat off guard, although predictable given the economic success built on maturing the art of copying.
This strategic move also revealed the weakness of the supposedly free political systems in the west. The majority of nations offering a two party system where the focus is on destroying each other, and in some cases the country, as long as they ensure re-election every four years. The issue of course is nothing gets done, progress slows and in Europe many sovereign states are being overrun by a self serving European Union. With a hidden objective to remove decision making, dumb down ambition and make states depended on EU financial support, and mythical blessing. It is a path that kills ambition, innovation and personal freedoms, it is a federal censor resistant state!
The full extent of the weakness of the west is exposed. It isn’t the people, nor industry and innovative ambition, nor is it global trade per-say, as people and countries want to see progress. The issue remains the ‘killing off’democracy, driven by short term political horizons that has diluted the competitive advantage of western economies. Not since Victorian times, when monarchy and the landed gentry called the shots, has a long view and vision been contemplated. Not since the Victorian era has the west made huge strides forward, other than the technological advancements made during WWII, forced by a need to prevent global tyranny. This political malaise and tampering has manifested into mistrust and a focus on scoring political points rather than encouraging progress of nations. And why the middle east and China are the ones with smart cities, the largest airline hubs, a place where International trade has flourished and they are now the ones innovating at scale.
China has taken its opportunity, spending billions on technology, supported by committed albeit centralised government, that encouraged the brightest and best Chinese students to gain the best International education from the worlds leading universities, in electrical engineering, physics, computer science, quantum mechanics, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Culminating in many thousands of Phd grads that have returned home to build out the politburo’s 13th 5 Year Plan that is directly focused on delivering — the stated objective.
China to become a Technology Superpower.
The revelations in the public domain, despite the deep fake attempts to mislead and confuse the public, indicate a shift. As a Quantum cloak descends over China, securing its communications from listening in (Micius launched in 2016 a QDK network), Quantum Trunking connecting cities and Quantum Radar that can detect almost anything. China is no longer talking, they are doing, and the west is concerned.
Let us not forget China’s recent industrial revolution saw their economy become a top 3 country by output, as they become the manufacturer for the world. But they have become so much more. A leading innovator, a committed advocate of reducing climate impact, they use their economic power that extends into new regions where they have significant influence, in Africa and Latin America in particular. The focus has always been resources, both knowledge and mineral based.
However China realise the new gold was found mining AI code.
The advancement in Artificial Intelligence systems should not be under estimated, or ignored. It is the driver of espionage based surveillance, along with its cousins Big Data and Machine Learning. AI is automated spying on a level never seen before. But far more dangerous, as national security strategies on all sides uses AI to deliver misinformation, to influence decisions (voting), to track and trace human behaviours. Further blurring the lines of truth and lies, poisoned our society, setting ethnic and political groups against each other, feeding a nasty social media that feeds a narcissistic selfie loving generation, that see the world as it is fed to them, and not as it is!.
AI is the automation of spying on everyone and everything…
Governments have shifted with technology advancements, and it is not to do with doing a better job of looking after citizens or to ensure there is a world for the next generation to inherit. Deep State has fragmented a secretive mantra to outmanoeuvre other states, quash freedom of speech through political correctness, through race, making it everyones duty to choose to be offended. Whilst monarchy with periods of invasion in-between, focused on longevity, keeping the blood lines going for future generations, a strategy for continuity and progress. Deep State has no plan for the long game. The nation state focus is getting one over on the other, this is the measure of success. That extra piece of intelligence.
In contrast, the current manifestation of Deep State is to track, trace and control the people. As technology advances, they are using AI to keep the worker bees both occupied, distracted and in place.
“Every civilisation in history has had they disposable workforce…”
…and yes a line I took from Bladerunner 2049.
The world is running out of time and resources, and will soon reach an unsustainable position, that many believe is already here. People are treated as disposable commodities to the benefit of others, including early manifestations of AI. I believe we have surpassed Singularity. I also believe we have not yet reached AI Supremacy despite what Google claims, but we have handed the baton to ‘self writing code’ which is the purist definition of Artificial Intelligence there is. As it is inevitable QuantumAI will lead to SuperIntelligence given time.
Deep State is the rise of Artificial Intelligence
There is no doubt for many AI represents an existential threat to humankind. And there is a lot of evidence because AI remains in human hands, used as a tool to create civil unrest in some countries and has weaponised ‘disinformation’ both politically and to keep the people off balance. Inciting indifference as close families and friends are provoked to fall out over Trump, over Brexit and over the various political correctness cards. It is all rather convenient. Timely and worrying.
The obsession of Deep State is National Security. It is defined very loosely, so that it may override everything — removing human rights, permissions and decency where required. I do understand the need for security, for protecting citizens, but the clear abuse of power is no longer acceptable, without prevailing purpose, evidence and hard truths. But with AI collating the evidence it is unlikely we will ever see a non biased view of anything ever again, despite journalists giving it their best. Journalism is effectively dead.
It is similar to GDPR (General Data Privacy Regulations) in Europe that is sold to people as a good thing, yet it delivers a smoke screen for something far darker. GDPR provides a formalised cloak for government and big companies to collect, use and therefore abuse our personal data, for profit, for surveillance and for suppression. The first response is ‘no I cannot, no you cannot’ have the information your are seeking about you, because of GDPR. We are not allowed to see what they have on us…
The Lines of Power are Shifting
It will be remarkable if the world as we want it to be lasts. Is the world a safer place? Is humankind doing well? Have we pushed mother earth too far? Or are we all vibrations and waves in a quantum universe where humankind is irrelevant?
Whilst I am an optimist, I am also ‘knowingly concerned’. The writing is on the wall and the direction of travel of many of the things discussed are a concern to me. I remain uncomfortable. Each day I rationalise the good things against the bad things. I love tech for the power it has to improve our lives, to do good and secure our futures. I remain hopeful…but!
Deep State’s obsession with national security is putting our civilisation in real danger of extinction. The problem is not the war machines or newks of the cold war era. Humankind is playing with fire. The new technologies are here. They are real. Many will tell you we are decades away from AI becoming a problem. This is a lie.
The arrival of Quantum, manifesting as QuantumAI is a redefinition of what we thought we understood about life, the world around us, our chemistry and how things work. What we thought went on around us, is largely misunderstood, and wrong. The laws of physics, chemistry and biology are found to be inaccurate, fall short of potential and outdated.
In many ways Deep State will accelerate the end of civilisation if we let it.Why? Because their obsession with surveillance to keep the people on the back foot, to hold onto power, is handing the baton to an enemy that cannot be controlled, has no emotions and yes doesn’t hate us. An enemy that once the objective is set, will never waiver, go off point, rest or sleep until the objective is delivered.
If we, humankind stand between the AI and the objective we are done for.
When AI is programming the AI humankind is lost…
Nick Ayton is a futurist, speaker and writer on all things tech.