How ICE Is Mimicking 19th Century Slave Patrols, and What AI Tech Billionaires Really Want

2026-02-02

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Gen Z Historian Kahlil Greene explains how today’s ICE enforcement has chilling parallels to the slave patrols of the 19th Century, designed to hunt human beings for profit and power. Then, Sharon speaks with author Karen Hao to talk about her new book Empire of AI, and why the biggest names in tech aren’t just building tools, but chasing a quasi-religious vision of control. Karen reveals how that ideology is reshaping democracy, draining the planet, and quietly harming people right now… but, she says, there are ways to change the futur...

Gen Z Historian Kahlil Greene explains how today’s ICE enforcement has chilling parallels to the slave patrols of the 19th Century, designed to hunt human beings for profit and power. Then, Sharon speaks with author Karen Hao to talk about her new book Empire of AI, and why the biggest names in tech aren’t just building tools, but chasing a quasi-religious vision of control. Karen reveals how that ideology is reshaping democracy, draining the planet, and quietly harming people right now… but, she says, there are ways to change the future of AI before it gets worse.

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Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

(00:00:00) How ICE Is Mimicking 19th Century Slave Patrols?

(00:16:36) What AI Tech Billionaires Really Want?

(00:29:27) How AI Is Hurting Us, and the Planet, and What We Can Do About It?

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