What Happens After the AI Hype Collapses? | In Conversation with Cory Doctorow

What happens when the technologies we rely on every day stop serving us – and start working against us? In this episode of In Conversation, Stephanie Hare sits down with author, activist and digital rights expert Cory Doctorow to unpack the forces shaping today’s tech landscape. From the rise – and possible fall – of the AI boom, to the slow decay of digital platforms, Doctorow offers a clear-eyed view of how and why technology so often drifts away from the public good. Together, they explore the idea of “platform decay” (or what Doctorow famously calls “enshittification”), the limits of consumer choice in the digital economy, and why regulation, interoperability and political action may matter more than technological breakthroughs alone. Looking ahead, the conversation also tackles the future of AI, the risks of mass unemployment and what happens to privacy in a world where younger generations have never truly experienced it. This is a wide-ranging and grounded discussion about power, economics, and what it really takes to build technology that works for people – not against them. Read more on RSAJournal+: https://www.thersa.org/rsa-journal/is... Video chapters 00:00 Why does tech always get worse? 00:36 “Enshittification” explained 03:03 What happens if the AI bubble bursts? 05:03 AI growth vs mass unemployment 06:33 The law that quietly shaped Big Tech 09:50 A world without privacy? 14:03 The truth about your data 19:11 How to fight back against Big Tech Subscribe to our channel! Follow the RSA on social media: Instagram:   / thersaorg   LinkedIn:   / thersaorg   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/?l... Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thersaorg?ig... TikTok:   / thersaorg