How AI is breaking the British state
The British state is struggling. Railways go unbuilt and potholes unfilled. Welfare bills go up and shoplifters go uncollared. Andy Burnham, the new prime minister, says he can get Whitehall moving; but then again, so did the previous guy. Yet the British state’s ability to function is about to get dramatically worse—a warning to rich democracies everywhere. Citizens frustrated by the poor deal they get from the authorities are turning to artificial intelligence to file objections and appeals, and claim their dues. The resulting deluge of complaints, and demands, will overwhelm bureaucracies built for the age of the post and the telephone. Too little is being done to prevent the state from drowning.
