Recursive power: AI governmentality and technofutures

We argue that AI is increasingly intractable from the study of governmentality. Yet, AI’s governmentality is not singular and, in this chapter, we trace AI’s governmentalities using two icons of AI governance: Elon Musk and Kevin Kelly. Through a comparison of the supporting discourses behind these two figures, we discuss how two related approaches to AI governmentality mix the symbolic and practical functions of AI. We address through the concepts of doctrines and dispositifs. Together, we identify how the recursive loops in AI governmentality created a process for society and, yet, one always has information to depoliticize the very project of governmentality.