The CHT mission to me was clearly stated by them when discussing how critical it is to “course-correct social media, so that it can fulfill its earliest promise — providing people with a supportive environment where they can connect with one another.” (Harris et al., 2018) While I do appreciate their goals I feel that the arenas in which they will have the ability to course correct in the way of policy and creating a more informed public will be limited. For example in the podcast by the CHT “Could AI go rogue?” one of the hosts flat out says that DeepSeek, which is the leading Chinese model, is known for being the most permissive when it comes to enabling dangerous behaviors which is attributed to competitive pressures (Harris et al., 2025). The CCP is not known for its openness to dissent or larger social discussions about how to progress as a people. If desired, I am more than happy to provide citations for the above comment. But, before we get bogged down on that topic there are other not so good actors that are all over the world with a focus on receiving returns on investments being made. While CHT has an honorable mission that I agree with, they are in the ring with players on the geopolitical stage as well as multinational conglomerates with a deep drive fueled by avarice. This can be seen by the growing economic bubble as more and more money is poured into this sector of the economy. To those that may have been around for a bit may see this as is an exact reflection of the rise of the internet and “.com” bubble. The unfortunate reality is that laws being made in one country will not stop other countries and large companies off-shoring their creation of AI to easily sidestep thoughtful frameworks and fail safes around AI created here.

I believe the take CHT has on social media, in the “platform model”, with an emphatic yes. To be more exact I think they stated their stance  on social best as a “destabilizing force- with corrosive effects seen on our mental health, our institutions, and even our sense of shared reality” (Harris et al., 2018). In my own experience the beginning of social media was purely for connection, with advertisements as a means to support this digital space. This focus on community over profit was obvious by the percentage of screen that was attributed to advertisements vs the tools of connection. This is touched on by CHT as in their discussion of how social media has grown and moved into the publicly traded space which has created a focus on maximization of revenue as the incentive structure has changed. (Harris et al., 2018) 

I deeply agree with CHT’s views on AI especially as it related to the discussion about the loss of control. I would contend that there is an accepted idea in our cultural zeitgeist that science fiction is humanity’s way of diving into areas that are not yet science fact. How many movies, shows, video games, books, and other media have depicted the scenario where “The robots” take over? Now that scenario is, more or less, staring us in the face. I do not think that it is acknowledged that AI is as revolutionary and dangerous as the harnessing of atomic fission. I hope that when hearing  “[AI] is a highly powerful systems that we could lose control of in dangerous ways” (Harris et al., 2025)  during the podcast others also saw how that could also be true of other technologies that have had more bad than good outcomes in our society. Also, there is the chance that an AI system that became resistant to human control would then become the controller of other technologies capable of wiping us out. Through this line of thought we once again arrive at the premise of many a dystopic piece of media.

I am fully aware that I may have already crossed the line into “tin foil hat” territory, but I would rather be too cautious than overly optimistic. The history of humanity has far more trial and error than success on the first try, and we have been creating increasingly complex technologies that have risen to the level of world ending; e.g. the nuclear bomb and its many derivations. I wish that I could “challenge” the opinions portrayed on CHT’s page or those expressed in the Podcast. However,  I happen to agree with them that we need more guard rails and a multinational approach to ensure that our prudence is not in vain due to the carelessness of a group (whomever they may be). There are few if any “at best ” impacts as I see social media continuing to degrade our mental health that further polarize us as people due to the breakdown in authentic communication; all while we sprint towards the sci-fi of “The Matrix” or “The Terminator” becoming a reality. 

In many ways these conversations are what draws me to social work to try and help others get back in touch with the world around them through a variety of milieus and methods that depart from our deep connection to technology. To me one of the things in my life that has routinely grounded me and brought me out of dark places is going in my backyard and taking care of my chickens. Their ability to be present is admirable and has brought more to my life than Facebook ever has. They are only in my life due to the irrational decision of a previous roommate bringing home chickens and me eventually having to take over caring for them. My algorithm is rife with chicken content now, but due to human connection not technological breakthrough. I think much of the work that will need to be done with people and groups moving forward is finding ways to carefully and thoughtfully have those people reconnect outside of a digital space and technology. While we can use technology as a tool to create increased access to care and resources, I do not think that more use of social media or of AI in one’s daily life will be a part of many peoples’ healing.

References

BBC. (2022, May 24). Who are the Uyghurs and why is China being accused of genocide?. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-22278037

Harris, Tristan, Harris, J., & Harris, E. (2025, August). Could AI go rogue? Youtube. other, Center for humane technology. Retrieved September 2025,.

Harris, Tristian, Raskin, A., & Fernando, R. (2018). The CHT perspective. Center for Humane Technology. https://www.humanetech.com/the-cht-perspective

Wu, G. (2025, February). Xi Jinping’s purges have escalated. here’s why they are unlikely to stop | asia society. Asia Society Policy Institute. https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/xi-jinpings-purges-have-escalated-heres-why-they-are-unlikely-stop