Meta AI Partners and Societal AI Adaption

Q: How are the social platforms we use most frequently partnering with AI platforms (or facing resistance)?

A: There’s some big, recent news here related to Meta. 

Meta is reportedly unwinding its $2 billion Manus acquisition after Chinese regulators demanded the deal be reversed, cutting off data sharing, blocking Manus from Meta’s internal systems, and directing employees to migrate Manus-based projects onto Meta’s own tools. 

What makes this notable is that Manus was not just a passive investment. Meta had already begun integrating the platform into internal workflows and its broader AI ecosystem. The unwind demonstrates how geopolitical tensions and national AI policies can directly disrupt platform strategy, partnerships, and product roadmaps.

Q: Are the people in charge really being thoughtful about AI’s outsize impact on society?

A: All three major AI players (and the Pope) are starting to talk about societal adaption. They are acknowledging that the challenge isn’t just building great models, but preparing people, institutions, infrastructure, and economies for what comes next.

Pope Leo Encyclical

Pope Leo XIV issued a major encyclical warning that AI must be governed in ways that protect human dignity, agency, labor, children, and democratic responsibility. He called for regulation of AI companies, worker retraining and protections, critical-thinking education, safeguards for children, and strict human accountability over AI-enabled weapons. 

AI is now being treated as a moral and social issue, not just a technology or business issue. The Pope’s voice is also particularly impactful given the scale of Catholics across the world who follow and believe in him. I’m also fully aligned with what he’s pushing for.

Dario Amodei (CEO of Anthropic) Open Letter: Policy on the AI Exponential

Dario argues that AI is advancing much faster than governments and institutions can respond, and that society needs to move urgently from simply studying AI to actively preparing for its economic, security, and geopolitical impacts. 

He advocates for stronger regulation of frontier AI models, proactive planning for potential job displacement, accelerated adoption of AI-enabled scientific breakthroughs, and safeguards to protect civil liberties and democratic values. 

The core message is that AI is becoming a technology of national and global strategic importance, and the decisions made in the next few years will determine whether its benefits are broadly shared or concentrated in ways that create significant risks and instability.

OpenAI: Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age: Ideas to Keep People First

OpenAI argues that AI could be as transformative as the Industrial Revolution, but the transition may happen dramatically faster, leaving less time for governments, businesses, and workers to adapt. 

The company calls for a new “industrial policy” focused on workforce transition, economic participation, safety nets, infrastructure investment, and ensuring the benefits of AI are broadly shared rather than concentrated among a few companies or individuals. 

OpenAI’s central message is that technological progress alone is not enough. Society needs a coordinated plan for managing the economic and social disruption that may accompany increasingly powerful AI systems.

Google: Growing the next generation of American workers

Google is committing $50 million through Google.org to help train 300,000 U.S. skilled trades workers across more than 20 states, with funding going to unions, trade associations, and apprenticeship programs. 

The initiative is tied directly to the infrastructure demands of AI and advanced technology, from data centers and cooling systems to electrical grids, fiber networks, and manufacturing. AI companies are starting to think in bigger ways about the impact the technology will have on our workforce including physical-world labor needs.

All my best,
Jen

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