Comment by Nasrudith

One thing I don't get about the underlying thesis: why do they think that the elites would be the only ones benefiting from AIs reducing persuasion costs? The first atomic bomb before it was proven possible was far more expensive than someone else developing an atomic bomb after it was proven possible.

Assuming that elites would be the only ones who would benefit from decreased costs would be akin to thinking the printing press could only cement the dominance of the Catholic Church in Europe. I can see why it would happen with models based upon "who is spending on it currently" but I'm afraid that makes said models not very good.