Evgeny Morozov: AI can be a tool for the left to contest systemic oppression
Writing for Le Monde diplomatique, the scholar argues that AI is more than a corporate disaster—it is a potential weapon for the marginalized.
The intersection of artificial intelligence and leftist political thought is often framed as a collision between corporate greed and social collapse. However, a new analysis suggests that the technology may offer unexpected utility for those fighting systemic power.
In an article published in the September 2026 English edition of Le Monde diplomatique, writer Evgeny Morozov examines the tension between the destructive nature of AI and its potential for grassroots empowerment. Morozov notes that much of the left currently views AI primarily as a disaster, citing its role in plagiarism, its devastating climate impact, and its status as a speculative economic bubble.
The Leftist Dilemma
This critical perspective is rooted in the way AI is currently deployed by Big Tech, where automation often serves to consolidate power and erode labor protections. For many critics, the technology represents the ultimate tool for corporate efficiency at the expense of human dignity and environmental stability. The prevailing narrative on the left has thus been one of resistance against a tool designed for exploitation.
A Tool for Contestation
Despite these systemic risks, Morozov argues that AI presents a significant opportunity for individuals to contest oppression. Rather than viewing the technology solely through the lens of corporate control, he suggests it can be repurposed to challenge the very structures that deploy it.
Specifically, Morozov highlights how AI can be used to fight back against officialdom and corporate bureaucracy. By leveraging these tools, individuals may find new ways to contest corporate fines or navigate the opaque legal frameworks used by state institutions to marginalize citizens. In this framework, AI becomes a means of reducing the information asymmetry that typically favors the powerful over the individual.
The Path Forward
What remains to be seen is whether these tactical wins for individuals can be scaled into a broader political strategy for the left. While the ability to fight a specific fine is a victory for the user, the overarching infrastructure of AI remains firmly in the hands of a few global conglomerates. The challenge for leftist thought moving forward will be determining if the tools of the oppressor can be truly democratized or if the inherent nature of the technology ensures that the house always wins. This tension defines the current struggle: whether AI remains a mechanism for consolidation or becomes a catalyst for genuine systemic disruption.