(Townhall) Thomas Jefferson and James Madison knew nothing about neural networks, large language models, or autonomous agents. Yet as America celebrates its 250th anniversary, they may have understood the two principles America most needs to govern AI wisely. Human rights do not come from power, and power must never be trusted without limits.
The Declaration of Independence begins with the first principle. Its claim that all people are “created equal” and “endowed by their Creator” with unalienable rights places human dignity beyond the reach of government. Rights do not exist because the state grants them, because employers find us useful, or because markets reward our productivity.
That truth becomes especially important in an age of ever more capable machines. Artificial intelligence (AI) can already write, analyze, translate, and diagnose at speeds no individual can match. If human worth ultimately depends upon intelligence or economic productivity, then AI creates an uncomfortable question about what makes people valuable after computers can outperform them at work, in school, or even in creative fields.