The enormous power and wealth amassed by today's tech leaders, especially their near-godlike control over artificial intelligence, is drawing comparisons to the Gilded Age's 'robber barons' like J.D. Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan. As a small group of men drive a new technological revolution, questions arise about how America handled such concentrated power in the past—and whether those lessons apply now.
"The tech titans’ almost god-like control over AI is sure to shape the future. But it’s not the first time in America's history that a small group of men have amassed enormous wealth and power by driving a new technology."
From oil and steel to algorithms and data, the pattern of disruptive innovation leading to vast fortunes and influence is recurring. The Gilded Age eventually sparked antitrust action and regulation. Will today's AI boom follow a similar trajectory?