--- title: "The 'Artificial State': Harvard researcher Jill Lepore warns that AI algorithms are replacing democracy" description: "Harvard historian Jill Lepore warned on the Hard Fork podcast about the formation of an 'artificial state,' where AI algorithms and corporations are displacing democratic institutions. She develops these theses in her book 'The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State.'" date: 2026-08-30T16:14:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/jill-lepor-artificial-state-ai-replaces-democracy tags: [jill-lepore, artificial-intelligence, democracy, artificial-state, tech-regulation, harvard] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # The 'Artificial State': Harvard researcher Jill Lepore warns that AI algorithms are replacing democracy ![Abstract 3D visualization of AI algorithms: translucent blue and purple cubes and structures symbolizing the 'artificial state' and digital governance](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/30/jill-lepor-iskusstvennoe-gosudarstvo-ii-zameshchaet-demokratiyu/jill-lepor-iskusstvennoe-gosudarstvo-ii-zameshchaet-demokratiyu-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Jill Lepore described on the Hard Fork podcast (NYT) the formation of an 'artificial state,' where AI and corporations are replacing democratic institutions. - In her words, digital platforms are monopolizing news, election information, and the formation of political thought. - Lepore criticizes the myth of AI 'inevitability' and the promotion of technology without regard for the opinions of citizens who oppose the construction of data centers. - The theses are explored in her book 'The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State,' published by August 2026. Jill Lepore, a historian at Harvard, appeared on The New York Times' 'Hard Fork' podcast to warn that the world is seeing the formation of what she calls an 'artificial state' β€” a system in which AI algorithms and the platforms they control are gradually displacing democratic institutions and undermining human autonomy. In her words, the new world order entails governing society not with the consent of the people, but through machines owned by private corporations, and the replacement of state functions by corporate structures, in her assessment, is already underway on a global scale. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the podcast episode. ### Corporations instead of the state: how the 'replacement' works Lepore emphasizes that digital technologies and social networks are becoming the main intermediaries in the monopoly over news creation, the dissemination of election information, and the formation of political thought. In her logic, this means that key functions historically performed by public institutions are in fact being handed over to private technology companies, whose decisions are driven by commercial rather than civic interests. This, in the researcher's view, is the very essence of the 'artificial state' β€” power that is not accountable to voters. ### Isolating society and replacing democratic procedures Lepore places particular emphasis on the destruction of traditional human communities. The digital space, she says, leads to alienation and the fragmentation of public life: instead of talking to neighbors, experts, or public officials, people increasingly turn to AI to find out who to vote for. In this way, the very mechanism of forming political choice is being replaced β€” from a living dialogue within society to algorithmic recommendation, which, in the researcher's assessment, undermines the foundation of democracy as the expression of the people's will. ### The myth of AI 'inevitability' and disregard for people's opinions The professor also points out that the promotion of artificial intelligence is proceeding without regard for the actual wishes of society, which often opposes the construction of new data centers. The tech elite, she says, deliberately promote the myth of AI 'inevitability' and claim that any regulation harms innovation. 'Similar promises that technology automatically strengthens democracy were made when personal computers, the internet, and social networks appeared, but in practice they created new threats and intensified surveillance of citizens,' Lepore notes. ### The book 'The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State' The researcher explores this topic in greater detail in her book 'The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State.' At the time the podcast was recorded, she described it as a work in progress, but by the end of August 2026 the book had already been published and became the subject of public discussion: The Guardian published a review of it, and NPR β€” an interview with the author, in which she develops her theses on the 'technological takeover' of public power. ### Contradictory data The sources contain discrepancies regarding the status and timeline of the book. In the RBC-Ukraine material, based on the 'Hard Fork' podcast episode, 'The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State' is presented as an 'upcoming book' that Lepore is 'currently working on.' At the same time, The Guardian's review is dated 19 August 2026, and the NPR interview β€” 25 August 2026, which indicates an already published edition. The most likely explanation: the podcast was recorded before the book's publication, and the Ukrainian material relayed the wording from that broadcast. Lepore's warning about the 'artificial state,' however, is consistently confirmed by all sources. ## πŸ” Fact-Check Verification - [AI could become a new power: scholar warns of the emergence of artificial states](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/shi-mozhe-stati-novoyu-vladoyu-vchena-poperedila-1787750150.html) - Основной источник: эфир подкаста Hard Fork (NYT), тСзисы Π›Π΅ΠΏΠΎΡ€ ΠΎΠ± «искусствСнном государствС», ΠΊΠΎΡ€ΠΏΠΎΡ€Π°Ρ‚ΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π΅ институтов ΠΈ изоляции общСства. - [Jill Lepore warns AI could create 'artificial state' threatening democracy](https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/jill-lepore-warns-ai-could-create-artificial-state-threatening-democracy/tldr) - НСзависимоС ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ прСдупрСТдСния Π›Π΅ΠΏΠΎΡ€ ΠΎΠ± Β«artificial stateΒ» ΠΈ ΡƒΠ³Ρ€ΠΎΠ·Π΅ Π΄Π΅ΠΌΠΎΠΊΡ€Π°Ρ‚ΠΈΠΈ. - [The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore review – an ominous warning of tech takeover](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/19/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-artificial-state-by-jill-lepore-review-an-ominous-warning-of-tech-takeover) - РСцСнзия ΠΎΡ‚ 19.08.2026 ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ Π²Ρ‹Ρ…ΠΎΠ΄ ΠΊΠ½ΠΈΠ³ΠΈ ΠΈ Π΅Ρ‘ тСзис ΠΎ «тСхнологичСском Π·Π°Ρ…Π²Π°Ρ‚Π΅Β». - [Author Jill Lepore discusses new book, 'The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State'](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/25/nx-s1-5768185/author-jill-lepore-discusses-new-book-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-artificial-state) - Π˜Π½Ρ‚Π΅Ρ€Π²ΡŒΡŽ ΠΎΡ‚ 25.08.2026 ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ ΠΏΡƒΠ±Π»ΠΈΡ‡Π½ΠΎΠ΅ обсуТдСниС Π²Ρ‹ΡˆΠ΅Π΄ΡˆΠ΅ΠΉ ΠΊΠ½ΠΈΠ³ΠΈ Π°Π²Ρ‚ΠΎΡ€ΠΎΠΌ. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Who is Jill Lepore and where did the warning come from? **A:** Jill Lepore is a historian at Harvard. Her warning about the 'artificial state' was delivered on The New York Times' 'Hard Fork' podcast and was relayed by RBC-Ukraine. ### Q: What is the 'artificial state' according to Lepore? **A:** It is a system in which AI algorithms and private corporate platforms are gradually replacing democratic institutions and governance with the consent of the people, substituting human autonomy with machine control. ### Q: Has Lepore's book on this topic already been published? **A:** Yes. The book 'The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State' was published by August 2026: The Guardian published its review on 19 August, and NPR β€” an interview with the author on 25 August 2026. ### Q: Why does Lepore criticize the idea of AI 'inevitability'? **A:** In her words, the tech elite promote the myth of AI inevitability and claim that regulation harms innovation, whereas past promises of 'automatic strengthening of democracy' by technology have in practice intensified surveillance and created new threats.