How ICE Is Mimicking 19th Century Slave Patrols, and What AI Tech Billionaires Really Want
Mon Feb 02 2026
Gen Z Historian Kahlil Greene explains how today’s ICE enforcement has chilling parallels to the slave patrols of the 19th Century, designed to hunt human beings for profit and power. Then, Sharon speaks with author Karen Hao to talk about her new book Empire of AI, and why the biggest names in tech aren’t just building tools, but chasing a quasi-religious vision of control. Karen reveals how that ideology is reshaping democracy, draining the planet, and quietly harming people right now… but, she says, there are ways to change the future of AI before it gets worse.
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Credits:
Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon
Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks
Audio Producer: Craig Thompson
(00:00:00) How ICE Is Mimicking 19th Century Slave Patrols?
(00:16:36) What AI Tech Billionaires Really Want?
(00:29:27) How AI Is Hurting Us, and the Planet, and What We Can Do About It?
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Gen Z Historian Kahlil Greene explains how today’s ICE enforcement has chilling parallels to the slave patrols of the 19th Century, designed to hunt human beings for profit and power. Then, Sharon speaks with author Karen Hao to talk about her new book Empire of AI, and why the biggest names in tech aren’t just building tools, but chasing a quasi-religious vision of control. Karen reveals how that ideology is reshaping democracy, draining the planet, and quietly harming people right now… but, she says, there are ways to change the future of AI before it gets worse. If you’d like to submit a question, head to thepreamble.com/podcast – we’d love to hear from you there. And be sure to read our weekly magazine at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson (00:00:00) How ICE Is Mimicking 19th Century Slave Patrols? (00:16:36) What AI Tech Billionaires Really Want? (00:29:27) How AI Is Hurting Us, and the Planet, and What We Can Do About It? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices