Why Won't Eugenics Ever Go Away: Tech, AI, and the Displacement of Humanity

Eugenics, historically rooted in the desire to “improve” the human race through selective breeding, has always been grounded in what is now understood as pseudoscientific racism. It emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, espousing the belief that certain groups—particularly those deemed more intelligent, physically capable, or morally superior—should be encouraged to reproduce, whilst those considered “deficient” were to be prevented from passing on their genes. This notion of “improvement” often targeted people of colour, disabled individuals, and those with mental health conditions, all under the guise of scientific legitimacy. It was the foundation for heinous policies like Nazi race science, where millions of people, including Jews, Roma, disabled individuals, and neurodivergent people, were exterminated in the pursuit of racial purity. Similarly, in the United States, particularly in California, eugenic ideals manifested through forced sterilisation campaigns, targeting poor, disabled, and non-white women—populations deemed “unfit” to contribute to society.

Autistic individuals have never had a place in eugenic thinking. From the beginning, eugenicists, obsessed with notions of normalcy and productivity, viewed autistics as inherently defective. Nazi race science labelled autistic behaviours as symptomatic of degeneracy, with many autistic individuals falling victim to the T4 program that led to the murder of people with disabilities. Even in less extreme contexts, autistics have often been excluded, mistreated, or misunderstood in societies shaped by eugenicist thinking. The United States’ sterilisation programs were not only aimed at physical and intellectual disabilities but also at preventing the reproduction of those who were considered socially or cognitively ‘abnormal,’ a category under which many autistics were—and still are—lumped.

While the overt language of eugenics has been largely discredited, its ideas have resurfaced in modern discussions around AI, large language models (LLMs), and automation, albeit in a different guise. Tech leaders frame these technologies as the next step in human progress, promising efficiency, innovation, and the optimisation of society. Yet, this vision is disturbingly similar to that of eugenics, where only the ‘best’ and ‘brightest’ are celebrated, and those who do not fit into this model are left behind. For autistics, who already face an unemployment rate nearing 80%, this new wave of technological disruption is a stark reminder that society’s obsession with productivity and intelligence still excludes them. Eugenicist thinking, though rebranded in tech utopianism, continues to disregard the value of human lives that do not conform to a narrow set of ideals, leading to the displacement and marginalisation of already vulnerable groups.

The Lingering Shadow of Eugenics

The persistence of eugenicist ideologies in modern discourse is not as surprising as it may seem, given how seamlessly these ideas have been repackaged into the language of efficiency, optimisation, and improvement. Eugenics has always thrived on the premise that society can be perfected by weeding out ‘undesirable traits,’ with the focus on creating a more “capable” and “productive” population. This rhetoric, long used to justify racist and ableist policies, finds new life in today’s tech-driven mindset, particularly in discussions around AI, LLMs, and automation. The same emphasis on maximising intelligence and productivity—once applied to human breeding—has shifted to promoting technological solutions that value cognitive performance and efficiency over human well-being.

In the world of AI and LLMs, the conversation is framed around how these technologies can optimise tasks, solve complex problems faster than humans, and generate significant economic growth. However, these discussions often overlook the consequences for those who can’t compete with machines—people whose jobs, skills, and very lives are deemed obsolete by this relentless drive for “progress.” Just as eugenicist thinking dehumanised individuals based on perceived deficits, modern AI discourse tends to devalue those who don’t fit into the highly productive, intelligence-optimised future being constructed by tech elites. Autistic individuals, neurodivergent people, and those with disabilities find themselves in the crosshairs of this new wave of exclusion, where the focus on digital ‘enhancement’ mirrors the old eugenic desire to rid society of those seen as a ‘drain on resources.’

Eugenics is no longer just about genes or breeding; it’s about determining who is “useful” in a society obsessed with progress and economic growth. Those who can’t keep pace with technological advancements, those who can’t be optimised for efficiency, are left behind in this new digital hierarchy. In this sense, eugenic ideologies have evolved, but their core remains intact: deciding whose existence is valued and whose is expendable. As AI and automation continue to reshape the world, the underlying belief that only the most productive and efficient lives matter becomes ever more entrenched, threatening to further marginalise those who don’t fit neatly into the vision of a tech-driven utopia.

The Techno-Optimist Vision

The tech world is full of so-called visionaries like Dario Amodei, Sam Altman, and their ilk, who seem to believe that AI is the silver bullet for humanity’s greatest challenges. They promote their technologies as solutions to everything from curing diseases to extending human life, with wild promises of eradicating mental illness and even achieving immortality. These CEOs position themselves as the masterminds behind the next great leap for mankind, but they conveniently sidestep the more uncomfortable reality: that their grand designs are poised to displace tens of millions of workers, leaving them in the dust of their so-called progress. The question no one asks these tech overlords is, who the hell do you think you are?—to play with the future of millions, to decide who is expendable in your race for profits, and to peddle a utopian vision that looks a lot more like a dystopia for the rest of us.

Their boundless enthusiasm for AI innovation, their smirking optimism about the future, is almost laughable in its naivety—if it weren’t so dangerous. These tech bros bask in the glow of their own cleverness, sure that they are ushering in a brave new world, but they never seem to care about the bodies left behind. The gig economy workers, the factory labourers, the neurodivergent and disabled populations already struggling to find a place in this system—none of them factor into the utopia these elites imagine. They speak of marginal returns to intelligence as though human lives are just a set of numbers to be optimised. It’s all about efficiency, productivity, and “smarter” systems, but this rhetoric reeks of eugenicist thinking. It’s the same cold, calculating mindset that once justified the sterilisation of “undesirable” populations—only now, instead of controlling human breeding, they seek to control who survives in the digital age.

And let’s be clear: this isn’t some tragic flaw of late-stage capitalism—this is a feature. These men aren’t just blind to the human cost of their vision, they are actively complicit in creating a future where anything that can’t be commoditised will be eliminated. The obsession with market growth, with endless funding rounds, means the welfare of society isn’t even a consideration. They’ve built a world where the stock price reigns supreme, and anything that threatens it—including millions of human beings who can’t compete with machines—will be swept aside without a second thought. Racism, ableism, and classism are built into this techno-optimist fantasy. Only the “productive” survive, while those who don’t fit into the vision of a hyper-efficient, machine-driven society are cast aside, their worth measured in how easily they can be replaced.

The People Left Behind—Autistics and the Displaced

The people left behind in this grand vision of the future aren’t just a footnote—they’re the warning sign that something is deeply, irreversibly broken. Take autistics, for instance. We’re already facing an unemployment rate nearing 80%. These aren’t unqualified people; many autistic individuals are highly intelligent, tech-savvy, and perfectly capable of working in today’s economy—if only it weren’t built to exclude them. If even we, with our keen analytical minds and ability to thrive in the tech industry, can’t find a foothold, what does that say about the system? It says that the future these tech bros are building isn’t designed for humans, or at least not for all of us. It’s a future where only the most optimised, commodified versions of human beings are allowed to thrive.

What happens when AI starts taking over the very cognitive labour that many autistics excel at? The people who are already struggling to find work will be pushed even further into the margins. Neurodivergent individuals, people with disabilities, and those from already disadvantaged backgrounds will be the first casualties in this wave of automation. It’s not just a matter of losing jobs—it’s a matter of being erased from a society that places no value on human lives that can’t be 'optimised' for efficiency. The tech sector, for all its talk of innovation, rarely stops to consider the human fallout from their so-called advancements. Whether it’s the people with disabilities, low-income workers, or those in developing countries who are displaced by the rise of automation, the human cost is never part of the equation.

This isn’t just about autistics or those with disabilities—it’s about the looming crisis of economic inequality that AI is about to make exponentially worse. We’re not talking about a few hundred buggy whip makers being phased out by technological progress here; we’re talking about tens of millions of people in the US alone, and hundreds of millions worldwide, who will be displaced by this new wave of automation. Entire sectors of the economy will be wiped out, and those who lose their jobs will find themselves abandoned by a system that never prepared for this level of upheaval. The current social safety nets—already minimal, threadbare, and inaccessible to many—are nowhere near capable of handling the tidal wave of unemployment that’s coming. The future these tech elites are building is one where human lives, particularly those who don’t fit neatly into their hyper-efficient, productivity-obsessed model, are disposable. We’re already seeing it: people who can’t compete with AI are being pushed to the margins. And as this trend accelerates, the divide between the haves and the have-nots will become a chasm. It’s not just that the rich will get richer—it’s that millions of people will be rendered invisible, left to fend for themselves in a world that no longer values their existence.

The Dystopia They Won’t Talk About

The dystopia these tech leaders refuse to acknowledge is one where automation and AI innovation have hollowed out entire economies, leaving millions of people without work and deepening the chasm of inequality. Their relentless push for technological advancement is pursued with almost fanatical enthusiasm, but they never stop to ask what happens when machines take over human jobs en masse. Mass unemployment is not some far-off hypothetical—it’s an inevitability. As more sectors of the economy become automated, entire industries will collapse, and the social fabric will begin to unravel. The tech visionaries who promote this future either fail to comprehend or simply don’t care about the human consequences. Instead, they fixate on their next round of funding or the growth of their stock price, leaving the rest of us to deal with the devastation they’ve unleashed.

What makes this scenario even more terrifying is the complete inadequacy of the social safety nets in many countries, particularly in the US, where welfare systems are already barely functional. These safety nets, as minimal and inaccessible as they are now, are wholly unprepared to handle the vast numbers of people who will be displaced by automation. As unemployment soars and wealth continues to concentrate at the top, the breeding ground for social unrest will only expand. Entire communities, already teetering on the edge, will find themselves disenfranchised and forgotten. History has shown us what happens when large segments of the population are detached from economic stability. One need only look to the Highland Clearances, where government collusion with capital led to the deliberate displacement of an entire culture. The enclosure of public lands in Scotland forced people off their historic lands, not as an accident of progress, but as a purposeful act to feed the growing industry in England that needed labourers—labourers who were suddenly detached from the land and thus exploitable.

Fast forward to today, and we are seeing a modern version of this story unfold. As AI-driven systems become the new standard for decision-making—whether it’s hiring, firing, or even access to healthcare—those already marginalised in society will face even greater discrimination. Algorithms, trained on biased data and designed to prioritise efficiency over humanity, will further push people to the edges, leaving them at the mercy of opaque systems they cannot challenge. People with disabilities, low-income workers, and communities of colour will bear the brunt of this, as they are left to navigate a world that sees them as inefficient, unproductive, and expendable.

What is perhaps most disturbing is the complete lack of responsibility these tech leaders show for the consequences of their creations. They wash their hands of the destruction they cause, choosing instead to focus on the next product launch or the next big payout. The human cost doesn’t matter to them, because their profits are measured in metrics far removed from the lives of the people they’re destroying. Like the landlords and industrialists who once viewed the Highlanders as obstacles to economic progress, these tech elites see the masses they are displacing as nothing more than a necessary casualty on the road to greater efficiency and growth. And just like in the Clearances, the government and regulatory bodies are all too happy to stand by and watch as the vulnerable are pushed aside for the sake of capital.

Is a Different Future Possible?

As we look to the future these tech CEOs are pushing, we must ask: is there an alternative to this cold, capitalist vision where human lives are sacrificed on the altar of technological progress? There absolutely is. Instead of embracing a dystopia where AI replaces human labour, displaces millions, and deepens inequality, we can imagine a world where technological innovation complements, rather than replaces, human effort. We can build a future that centres human well-being, social equality, and inclusivity—particularly for those historically marginalised, like disabled and neurodivergent individuals.

In this alternative vision, AI isn’t designed to push people out of the economy but to work alongside them, enhancing human potential rather than rendering it obsolete. This isn’t just wishful thinking; it’s a practical approach that values people over profit, creativity over efficiency. We can use AI to take on the repetitive and physically demanding tasks that humans shouldn’t have to bear, allowing people to focus on what they do best—innovation, creativity, and building communities. In a society that embraces this balance, human labour wouldn’t be treated as a commodity to be replaced but as something enriched and supported by technology.

Of course, transitioning to such a society means addressing the fallout of automation head-on. Universal Basic Income (UBI), or similar social protections, would be essential to mitigate the impact of mass unemployment caused by AI-driven systems. These protections aren’t just necessary for survival; they’re about dignity. If we value human life, we must ensure that when jobs disappear, people aren’t left to fend for themselves. UBI could offer a financial safety net, allowing people to pursue passions, creativity, and community engagement without the constant threat of economic ruin hanging over them. It’s a step toward a more just society, one that refuses to reduce individuals to mere cogs in a machine.

This vision also demands that tech companies begin to reckon with the human cost of their innovations. Instead of prioritising the next funding round or market expansion, tech leaders must acknowledge the responsibility they hold for shaping the future. Ethical AI development has to go beyond token gestures and PR campaigns; it must include the voices of the marginalised, particularly those with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, and those from low-income backgrounds. Their lived experiences should inform how technology is built, ensuring that innovation serves everyone—not just those at the top.

In many ways, this alternative vision echoes the values of matristic civilisations, which prioritised egalitarianism, community, and holistic well-being. These societies, as documented by Marija Gimbutas, thrived not through competition and exploitation but through cooperation and inclusivity. A future grounded in these principles would reject the cold, capitalist race toward commodification and instead embrace the diversity of human experience. Neurodivergent individuals, whose unique ways of thinking are often sidelined in today’s hyper-competitive world, would find space to thrive in this more supportive, cooperative system. The matristic framework shows us that it’s possible to build societies where every person is valued for who they are, not just what they can produce.

The contrast between this vision and the dystopia of unchecked AI-driven capitalism is stark. Instead of a world where only the ‘efficient’ survive and millions are cast aside, we could create a future where every person is given the opportunity to thrive. The technologies we develop today should serve as tools for human flourishing, not as instruments of exclusion. By advocating for UBI, ethical AI, and the inclusion of marginalised voices in tech, we can challenge the dystopian trajectory we’re currently on and build something better—something that values humanity over machines.

This isn’t a utopian dream; it’s a practical necessity. The collapse of entire industries under the weight of automation isn’t just a possibility; it’s already happening. If we don’t act now, we will be left with a world that reflects the worst excesses of the Highland Clearances—where capital colludes with power to displace and exploit. But if we choose a different path, one rooted in equality, community, and human dignity, we can avert the worst of this future. We have the power to create a society that honours all its members—neurodivergent, disabled, and otherwise—not as expendable, but as essential threads in the fabric of a more just, inclusive world.

Final thoughts …

To wrap up this lengthy treatise, the core argument is clear: eugenics, in its modern form, continues to shape how society values human life, albeit under a new guise. The relentless drive for “optimisation” and “efficiency,” which once justified the selective breeding of humans, is now fueling the rise of AI and automation—technologies that stand to displace millions while enriching a small elite. The same cold, calculating mindset that once sought to eliminate “undesirable” traits from the population is now being applied to the workforce, with human lives measured by their productivity and usefulness in an economy increasingly dominated by machines.

Until society reckons with these dystopian tendencies, driven by tech’s obsession with progress at any cost, we will continue to see a world divided between those deemed “useful” and those cast aside. The more we allow these ideologies to flourish, the more people—especially the disabled, neurodivergent, and already marginalised—will be pushed to the fringes, rendered invisible in a future designed for machines, not humans.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We must demand a future that values all human lives, not just the productivity-driven ideals of the so-called masters of the universe. It’s time to push back against the dystopian visions of AI overlords and fight for a world where technology serves humanity, not the other way around. We can and must create a society that honours every person’s inherent worth—one that supports inclusivity, equality, and human dignity over the blind pursuit of efficiency and profit. This is not just a moral imperative; it’s our only hope for a just and sustainable future.