Observed Signal · Aug 9, 2026 · Book Publication / Interview · Source: techcrunch · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Historian Lepore: Tech Firms Replacing Democratic Functions
Historian and New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore, in an interview tied to her upcoming book The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State, argues that private technology companies are increasingly taking on the functions of democratic government, creating what she calls an "artificial state." Lepore cites examples from advertising (Apple’s 1984 Macintosh ad) to platform governance (Twitter’s evolution into a perceived "town hall" and Facebook’s oversight structures), and recent AI industry moves (Anthropic hiring a moral philosopher to draft a constitution; public comments by Sam Altman) to illustrate how corporate actors are assuming civic roles without democratic consent. She links this trend to science-fiction ideas and warns the artificial state is both incomplete and ultimately unsustainable, urging democratic oversight and public debate over data centers, platform power, and technology governance.
The piece frames a sustained critique of how major social platforms and AI companies assume civic functions (platform governance, data center expansion, AI governance). This influences public trust, local opposition to infrastructure, and broader regulatory and policy debates that affect advertising, platform operations, and industry governance.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Jill Lepore is a Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer and author of the upcoming book The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State.
- Lepore argues private corporations have increasingly taken on functions traditionally performed by nation-states, a phenomenon she calls the "artificial state."
- Examples discussed include Apple’s 1984 Macintosh ad, Twitter’s evolution into a perceived town-hall-like space, and Anthropic hiring a moral philosopher to draft a constitution.
- Lepore highlights local backlash against data center projects (citing a Salt Lake example where well over 70% of people opposed a data center).
- Lepore reiterated her critique of the disruptive innovation theory she previously wrote about, arguing historians should engage more with technological change.
Connected Companies & Entities
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“On the latest episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, I spoke to Lepore — a Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer who recently won a...”
“So, to the degree that we can locate an origin point for the promise that better computer technology would make for better democracies, I th...”
“You get to last year, when Anthropic hired a moral philosopher to write a constitution.”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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