Harvard historian Jill Lepore argues systemic measurement dehumanizes society in new book

Harvard professor and New Yorker staff writer Dr. Jill Lepore has written a new book titled 'The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State,' set for release on August 25. The book argues that systemic data collection and quantification — from ancient censuses to modern AI — is fundamentally dehumanizing, reducing human concerns to artificial constructs. Lepore traces a key turning point to the 1980s, when Silicon Valley culture emerged alongside personal computers and political microtargeting. She contends that Big Tech and its billionaire leaders have eroded the very foundations of the modern state. Lepore spoke about the book on The Verge's Decoder podcast, where she also expressed cautious hope, pointing to public backlash against AI — including students booing AI executives at graduation ceremonies — as a meaningful sign of resistance.