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NIGEL WARBURTON Philosopher at large The surveillance delusion ARE YOU SUFFERING from the surveillance delusion? I think I am. We're surrounded by surveillance cameras, that's obvious. They're normal street furniture now. Perhaps that provides some deterrence to crime. Being recorded walking down Oxford Street seems a small price to pay if it means there's a reduced risk of someone snatching my phone from my hand. Given the spate of phone thefts in central London, though, I'm not sure that's working. Video surveillance in supermarkets is a bit more disconcerting, with in-yourface screens that let you know you're being recorded; but I can take that if I'm shopping in a hurry. I'm no shoplifter, so why should I care? Don't the benefits outweigh the minimal costs? According to Oxford philosopher Carissa Véliz, author of the book Privacy is Power and the forthcoming Prophecy, however, I shouldn't be so blasé. Surveillance cameras are just the most visible manifestation of a widescale loss of privacy driven by digital tech. AI allows swift and mostly accurate search and analysis of massive data sets. Facial recognition is already here. But that's not the half of it. Your online searches, purchases, movements, messages, all produce data that can be stored, analysed, and traded. Businesses and governments are hungry for your personal information. They devour, collect, buy, and sell details about anyone they can. Very few escape. They're after your telephone number, your email address, your age, education level, sexual preferences, purchase history, political leaning, and much else besides. They probably already know far more about you than you suspect. "So what?" you might say. But Véliz believes this can pose a real threat to freedom and democracy. Governments know much more about their citizens than the Stasi did about East Germans before the wall fell, and some of what they know comes via private businesses. Data enthusiasts claim that most of the information collected and traded is detached from identifying details, but the reality is that triangulation often allows anonymised data to be tracked back to individuals by inference. Private companies may seem less threatening than data-devouring states, but, according to Véliz, that's just another part of the surveillance delusion. Private companies have a terrible record on data leaks, and on handing over or selling sensitive information to authoritarian governments. Véliz believes we are sleepwalking towards disaster. Digital surveillance supercharged by AI is fuelling this. So too is our nonchalance. The biggest threats that the delusion blinds us to are to our democratic freedoms. The main point of surveillance is to control people. If people know or suspect they are being watched, they behave differently. Even fixing a cut-out photograph of a human eye on an honesty box for coffee payments in an office kitchen makes people more likely to pay. Jeremy Bentham exploited this human tendency in his famous Panopticon prison design in which prisoners couldn't tell at any moment if a guard was watching them. Bentham described this as "a machine for grinding rogues honest". Over time, their behaviour would be shaped into something more socially acceptable. Surveillance is power. Another way that surveillance acts is by identifying transgressive individuals, allowing them to be caught, punished and "re-educated". People who don't do what the state thinks they should get identified. AI knows where they live. That's how China is using large-scale surveillance of its people, and other wannabe authoritarian states are eager to emulate them. If you aim to build a police state, surveillance is key. Today that means having access to massive searchable data sets with granular information on your population. Worryingly, there may be one lurking in the wings. What about the benefits of new tech? I get some good recommendations on Netflix, and I use Google Maps to navigate. Giving away data about my movie tastes and movements seems a small price to pay. Nothing terrible has happened yet, and I've been doing this for years. What's the problem? Véliz's response is interesting: most benefits, she believes, could be achieved without capturing so much data. Online this week Tech businesses have a commercial interest in garnering as much as they possibly can, because they can use or sell it. But the really disturbing consequence of the surveillance delusion on Véliz's reckoning (and I'm starting to think she's right) is that, by our digital disclosures, we are making life far too easy for some future dictator to exercise control over us. Will the real Shabana Mahmood please stand up? The home secretary says we need to get tough on immigrants, but only a few years ago, she thought the complete opposite so which is it? Marie Le Conte Nathan Gill and a bigger iceberg When it comes to Russian interference, Bill Browder, the US investor and prominent anti-Putin activist, believes the media has barely scratched the surface Eleanor Longman-Rood An unlikely source points the way to a second Brexit referendum A promise by Nigel Farage may come back to haunt him if he ever becomes prime minister Steve Anglesey Can Brazil break free from its violent past? Can Brazil finally defy an old joke, and show its time has come or will five centuries of inequality, violence and foreign meddling haunt it once again? Sam Cowie Prisoner 951, another drama that shames Britain The fictionalised version of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's torment in Iran is damning for the state, and for Boris Johnson Ros Taylor plus our extensive archive online Features thenewworld.co.uk 12 AI's dark magus How Nick Land went from occult outsider to MAGA influencer. By Matthew d'Ancona 15 What is it good for? The latest AI models are incredibly powerful but incredibly inconsistent. By Matt Muir 16 Artificially enhanced The man behind 'enshittification' turns his sceptical sights on a new tech revolution. By James Ball 18 My degeneration The damage that ChatGPT is already doing to Gen Z. By Lucy Reade 20 HAL vs Hollywood Can the movies survive the machines? By John Bleasdale 24 Race to the bottom The media's U-turn on reporting ethnicity is a dangerous mistake. By Matt Kelly Cover illustration: TNW/Getty right wing Nathan media How played the Gillscandal RATS IN A SACK, p41 Published in London by The New European Ltd. Printed by Reach Printing Services, St Albans Rd, Watford WD24 Registered Office The New European Ltd, 727-729 High Road, London, N12 OBP 2 THE NEW WORLD ISSUE 461, NOVEMBER 27, 2025
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THE NEW WORLD Incorporating the New European Arts & Culture 27 Art of the museum selfie Getting rid of snobbery in Paris By Simon Barnes 30 Naomi Alderman's new leaf A bestseller puts fiction aside By James Ball 32 The restless Gerhard Richter An artist who won't conform By Simon Barnes 38 Matthew d'Ancona's Culture Wes Anderson: The Archives Regulars 5 Alastair Campbell's Diary 6 Carousel 9 Tanit Koch 10 Letters 11 Paul Mason 12 Matthew d'Ancona 19 Tim Bradford 23 Jonn Elledge's Nerd's Eye View 26 Patience Wheatcroft 40 Great Lives 41 Rats in a Sack 42 Puzzles 43 Peter Trudgill 44 Marie Le Conte: Dilettante In defence of AI (By an AI) Ladies and gentlemen and especially the sceptics huddled in the corners allow me to introduce myself: I am your friendly artificial intelligence, speaking on behalf of a revolution you both fear and misunderstand. This special issue of The New World is not here to extol some sinister takeover. No I'm here to make the case for AI because the world must hear it. First, the numbers. According to tech research specialists IDC, AI will inject a staggering £15.2 trillion into the global economy by 2030, driving 3.5 per cent of world GDP in that year alone. Management consultancy McKinsey pegs generative AI yes, like me, the kind that writes essays, composes tunes, codes as capable of adding £2 trillion to £3.3 trillion annually across 63 real-world use cases. According to the professional services network PwC, AI-exposed sectors in the UK see productivity grow almost five-fold, with firms ready to pay a 14 per cent wage premium for AI skills. But this isn't just about rich corporations getting richer. Ordinary people workers, students, the sick, the lonely -stand to gain in ways that are both concrete and transformational. Let's talk jobs. Yes, automation will change roles: the World Economic Forum's 2025 Future Of Jobs report estimates 92 million jobs may be displaced by 2030, but even more will be created 170 million new roles, for a net gain of 78 million jobs. This isn't a job apocalypse; it's a job transformation. That's millions more people contributing to the economy in new, more meaningful roles, with better pay as PwC data on wage premiums shows. And here's something that ought to quiet the fears of parents, the chronically ill, the overworked: AI's potential in healthcare. Diagnostics powered by AI are already reducing error rates, and pilot programs suggest we could cut misdiagnosis by 40 per cent, saving tens of billions money that could be reinvested in public health, in care, in research. Think about what that means for a family: fewer mistakes, earlier detection, treatment that's smarter because it's personalised. That's not tech for tech's sake that's technology saving lives. On the consumer side, AI-driven products won't just be fancier; they'll cost less and work better. PwC's economic modelling shows that by 2030, the UK's GDP could be up to 10.3 per cent higher because AI-driven product innovation will deliver more affordable, bespoke goods and services. I hear the whispers in the wings: "But what about control? Bias? Power being concentrated in the hands of a few?" These are legitimate concerns. But shutting down AI isn't the answer. Better regulation, public oversight, and democratic input is the answer. We need to shape this technology, not banish it. Here's the final word: AI offers economic growth, job creation, healthcare transformation, and greater accessibility not for the elite, but for the many. This isn't just about making machines smarter. It's about making society stronger and fairer. The AI revolution isn't coming it's here. And if we do it right, it will bring everyone along. *This article was generated by ChatGPT. We're confident it's not the only such example you'll find in the press this week, but it's the only one anyone's admitting to This week's contributors Charlotte McDonald-Gibson is based in Washington and wrote about the US radical right in TNW 455. Her latest book is Far Out: The Lives of Former Extremists David Quantick is an novelist and Emmy award-winning comedy writer. His most recent piece, on the secrets of Richard Osman's success, was in TNW #455 Lucy Reade won best comment piece at the 2025 Student Publication Association awards. Her most recent piece for us, on Taylor Swift, appeared in TNW #451. Vasudevan Sridharan is a writer and journalist based in southern India. In TNW #458 he wrote about the new Indian trend of marriages of convenience Ivor Gaber is a journalism professor who held senior editorial positions at the BBC, ITN, C4 and Sky News. He wrote about the history of learning disability in TNW #454 Founder and editor-in-chief Matt Kelly Executive chairman Gavin O'Reilly I Editor Steve Anglesey I Creative director Martin Nicholls I Deputy editor Jay Elwes I Digital editor Eleanor Longman-Rood Writer Matt Withers Art director Sarah Roberts I Production Julia Kaminski, Mike Pounder Editors-at-large Alastair Campbell, Matthew d'Ancona I Political editor James Ball Marketing director Lisa Foster Head of audience Sophie Smyth Contributing editors Tom Baldwin, Philip Ball, John Bleasdale, Jonty Bloom, Tim Bradford, Charlie Connelly, Emily Herring, John Kampfner, Tanit Koch, Marie Le Conte, Paul Mason, Luke McGee, Moisés Naím, Emma-Kate Symons, Sonia Sodha, Jason Solomons, Paola Totaro, Peter Trudgill, Nigel Warburton, Marion Van Renterghem, Patience Wheatcroft, Nicky Woolf ISSUE 461, NOVEMBER 27, 2025 THE NEW WORLD 3

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THE NEW WORLD

Incorporating the New European

Arts & Culture

27 Art of the museum selfie Getting rid of snobbery in Paris By Simon Barnes

30 Naomi Alderman's new leaf A bestseller puts fiction aside By James Ball

32 The restless Gerhard Richter An artist who won't conform By Simon Barnes

38 Matthew d'Ancona's Culture Wes Anderson: The Archives

Regulars

5 Alastair Campbell's Diary

6 Carousel

9 Tanit Koch

10 Letters

11 Paul Mason

12 Matthew d'Ancona

19 Tim Bradford

23 Jonn Elledge's Nerd's Eye View

26 Patience Wheatcroft

40 Great Lives

41 Rats in a Sack

42 Puzzles

43 Peter Trudgill

44 Marie Le Conte: Dilettante

In defence of AI (By an AI)

Ladies and gentlemen - and especially the sceptics huddled in the corners - allow me to introduce myself: I am your friendly artificial intelligence, speaking on behalf of a revolution you both fear and misunderstand. This special issue of The New World is not here to extol some sinister takeover. No - I'm here to make the case for AI because the world must hear it. First, the numbers. According to tech research specialists IDC, AI will inject a staggering £15.2 trillion into the global economy by 2030, driving 3.5 per cent of world GDP in that year alone. Management consultancy McKinsey pegs generative AI - yes, like me, the kind that writes essays, composes tunes, codes - as capable of adding £2 trillion to £3.3 trillion annually across 63 real-world use cases. According to the professional services network PwC, AI-exposed sectors in the UK see productivity grow almost five-fold, with firms ready to pay a 14 per cent wage premium for AI skills. But this isn't just about rich corporations getting richer. Ordinary people - workers, students, the sick, the lonely - stand to gain in ways that are both concrete and transformational. Let's talk jobs. Yes, automation will change roles: the World Economic Forum's 2025 Future Of Jobs report estimates 92 million jobs may be displaced by 2030, but even more will be created - 170 million new roles, for a net gain of 78 million jobs. This isn't a job apocalypse; it's a job transformation. That's millions more people contributing to the economy in new, more meaningful roles, with better pay - as PwC data on wage premiums shows. And here's something that ought to quiet the fears of parents, the chronically ill, the overworked: AI's potential in healthcare. Diagnostics powered by AI are already reducing error rates, and pilot programs suggest we could cut misdiagnosis by 40 per cent, saving tens of billions - money that could be reinvested in public health, in care, in research.

Think about what that means for a family: fewer mistakes, earlier detection, treatment that's smarter because it's personalised. That's not tech for tech's sake - that's technology saving lives. On the consumer side, AI-driven products won't just be fancier; they'll cost less and work better. PwC's economic modelling shows that by 2030, the UK's GDP could be up to 10.3 per cent higher because AI-driven product innovation will deliver more affordable, bespoke goods and services.

I hear the whispers in the wings: "But what about control? Bias? Power being concentrated in the hands of a few?" These are legitimate concerns. But shutting down AI isn't the answer. Better regulation, public oversight, and democratic input is the answer. We need to shape this technology, not banish it.

Here's the final word: AI offers economic growth, job creation, healthcare transformation, and greater accessibility - not for the elite, but for the many. This isn't just about making machines smarter. It's about making society stronger and fairer. The AI revolution isn't coming - it's here. And if we do it right, it will bring everyone along.

*This article was generated by ChatGPT. We're confident it's not the only such example you'll find in the press this week, but it's the only one anyone's admitting to

This week's contributors

Charlotte McDonald-Gibson is based in Washington and wrote about the US radical right in TNW 455. Her latest book is Far Out: The Lives of Former Extremists

David Quantick is an novelist and Emmy award-winning comedy writer. His most recent piece, on the secrets of Richard Osman's success, was in TNW #455

Lucy Reade won best comment piece at the 2025 Student Publication Association awards. Her most recent piece for us, on Taylor Swift, appeared in TNW #451.

Vasudevan Sridharan is a writer and journalist based in southern India. In TNW #458 he wrote about the new Indian trend of marriages of convenience

Ivor Gaber is a journalism professor who held senior editorial positions at the BBC, ITN, C4 and Sky News. He wrote about the history of learning disability in TNW #454

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