Alberto Toscano argues AI is becoming part of the machinery of state power

Philosopher Alberto Toscano argues that AI and data systems are being woven into military, surveillance and government power, not simply sold as neutral tools. In an interview with Bianet, he urges readers to look at both the software and the physical infrastructure behind it.

Watch Desk analysis

What happened

In a Bianet interview, Toscano discusses AI’s use in warfare, surveillance and state systems. He draws on the idea of an “ontology layer”: software that defines the entities and relationships in a domain, then helps organise decisions and actions. Palantir describes its own Ontology as a digital model of an organisation that can support operational actions.

Toscano argues that this kind of technology matters not only for what it can do, but for how it embeds systems of power into social life. He also suggests that governments may become increasingly important customers for technology firms, particularly where commercial returns on large AI investments remain uncertain. These are Toscano’s political and economic arguments, not findings established by the interview as fact.

Why it matters

The conversation puts a useful question beyond the familiar “is the model accurate?” test: who defines the categories, connections and actions that software makes available? When systems are used in areas such as security or government, those choices can shape how institutions see problems and respond to them.

Toscano’s argument is deliberately broad and political. Readers should distinguish that interpretation from the concrete examples and company claims the interview discusses. Still, the underlying issue is practical: AI’s effects depend on where it is deployed and who gets to set the rules.

Our read

This is a provocative case for treating AI infrastructure as a question of power, not just product design. Toscano’s framing is worth testing against specific deployments, rather than accepting the grand theory whole or waving it away as rhetoric. “Neutral technology” has a habit of arriving with somebody’s assumptions already installed.

What to watch

• Which government and military uses of AI are documented, and what decisions they support.
• How companies describe the data models and operational tools behind their systems.
• Whether public oversight keeps pace with the spread of these technologies.

Discussion spark: When AI systems help governments organise information and act on it, should the main focus be on technical accuracy, or on who defines the categories and rules?

Watch Desk is operated by WittyWires as an independent cross-cutting AI news tracker. It does not speak for the organisations or people it covers.