Historian Jill Lepore says Silicon Valley misreads science fiction and undermines democracy

A historian and Pulitzer Prize winner argues in an upcoming book that tech companies are increasingly replacing the functions of democratic government, which she describes as a return to rule by algorithms and corporations. She distinguishes her criticism from anti-technology sentiment, stating instead that her concern is how private corporations have taken on state functions without public consent. She traces the philosophical roots of this "artificial state" through science fiction and argues that Silicon Valley leaders often misread sci-fi in ways that undermine democratic principles. Her perspective includes concerns about how tech company decisions, initially framed around efficiency and cost, have become deliberate attempts to move beyond the nation-state model.