Skip to content
Project 2025
Donate to support
diverse voices
Search

Latest Stories

Follow Us:
Top Stories
Cargo containers piled on each other.

The Facts on U.S.–Canada Tariffs Nearly One Year Into Trump’s Plan

An illustration of two hands controlling a small person attached to strings.

Parallels and Patterns: George Orwell’s 1984, Hitler’s Nazi, and Trump 2.0

When Separation of Powers Becomes a Suggestion

When Separation of Powers Becomes a Suggestion

Post office trucks parked in a lot.

2026 Will See an Increase in Rejected Mail-In Ballots - Here's Why

How Republicans May Steal the 2026 and 2028 Elections

How Republicans May Steal the 2026 and 2028 Elections

Artificial Intelligence Series: A winding odyssey through the future of productivity

Artificial Intelligence Series: A winding odyssey through the future of productivity
Getty Images
David L. Nevins
By David L. NevinsAug 17, 2023
David L. Nevins
David L. Nevins serves as publisher of The Fulcrum. Additionally, Nevins serves as co-founder and Board Chairman of the Bridge Alliance. Nevins brings business acumen, vision and a tireless this-must-and-can-be-done zeal to the burgeoning movement to bridge divides to transform the political process. As a business leader, Nevins excels at building bridges between people and organizations from the right, left and center for civilized conversation and then action. He co-founded the Bridge Alliance because, as he says, “No matter how well managed and how well funded anyone organization is, significant political reform will not happen without an alliance to further collaborative interactions. Together we can and will raise the collective impact of all.” He is a member of the Aspen Institute Society of Fellows, with a focus on the Aspen Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, he established and continues to work with The Nevins Democracy Leaders program at Penn State University. Nevins graduated with honors in economics from Penn State in 1969 and received an M.B.A. in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1971.
See More Writings by author

Nevins is co-publisher of The Fulcrum and co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund.

The phrase Artificial Intelligence or AI has emerged as a major topic of discussion in the business and political world this year as it becomes an ever-present socio-economic force. The impact of the rapid advancements in AI and related technologies are already having a profound impact upon society; leaving a canyon of questions to account for.

In response to these rapid changes, the Fulcrum would like to introduce a three-part series to explore the social and economic factors that may transform the future of our political landscape. The rise of the intelligent machine is upon us. And, while it may not quite be The Terminator, it has crucial implications on the future of ethical productivity.

To properly dissect the meaning of this exponential acceleration in technological change, the following questions will be explored: Should automation be welcomed or feared? Are productivity improvements as good as advertised? Is extreme efficiency good? Do the benefits of increased productivity usher in and outweigh the economic dangers of unemployment?

Getting more done with less effort seems to be a a positive thing. But, economics is interconnected to almost every other facet of our lives. You pull one string, the rest of the thread comes along with it. Or, in this case, the automation.

Read Part 1 as it is released on August 17th.


Latest news

A child's hand holding an adult's hand.
Rule of Law

Who Are the Trespassers?

Trump's Assault on Our Election System and How to Fix It
Elections

Trump's Assault on Our Election System and How to Fix It

A New Democratic Approach: Guardrails That Speed, Not Stop, Progress
Economy

A New Democratic Approach: Guardrails That Speed, Not Stop, Progress

Trump’s EPA Decides Climate Change Doesn’t Endanger Public Health – the Evidence Says Otherwise
Environment

Trump’s EPA Decides Climate Change Doesn’t Endanger Public Health – the Evidence Says Otherwise

Read More

Voter ID shouldn’t be this controversial

Residents check in to participate in in-person absentee voting (early voting) at the Municipal Building on March 26, 2025, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

(Scott Olson/Getty Images/TNS)

Voter ID shouldn’t be this controversial

Jonah Goldberg: Voter ID shouldn’t be this controversial

Jonah Goldberg February 11, 2026Residents check in to participate in in-person absentee voting (early voting) at the Municipal Building on March 26, 2025, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson/Getty Images/TNS)

President Trump says that “Republicans” should “nationalize the election” or at least take over voting in up to 15 places where he says voting is corrupt. His evidence of fraudulent voting is that he lost in such places in 2020, and since it is axiomatic that he won everywhere, the reported results are proof of the fraud.

Keep ReadingShow less
Democrats’ Demands for ICE Reform Are Too Modest – Here’s a Better List

Protestors block traffic on Broadway as they protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Columbia University on February 05, 2026 in New York City.

Getty Images, Michael M. Santiago

Democrats’ Demands for ICE Reform Are Too Modest – Here’s a Better List

In a perfect world, Democrats would be pushing to defund ICE – the position supported by 76% of their constituents and a plurality of all U.S. adults. But this world is far from perfect.

On February 3, 21 House Democrats voted with Republicans to reopen the government and keep the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funded for two weeks. Democrats allege that unless there are “dramatic changes” at DHS and “real accountability” for immigration enforcement agents, they will block funding when it expires.

Keep ReadingShow less
Why ICE's Aggressive Tactics are a Public Health Crisis

Following killings in Minneapolis, ICE operations reignite concerns over overpolicing, racial profiling, and the mental health toll on Black communities nationwide.

Getty Images, David Berding

Why ICE's Aggressive Tactics are a Public Health Crisis

Following the recent killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents continue to conduct operations across the country. In recent weeks, under-the-radar sweeps have been reported in communities from California to North Carolina.

ICE’s use of targeted policing, harassment, and excessive force has pushed the issue of overpolicing to the forefront again. For many in Black communities across the U.S., these patterns feel painfully familiar, especially considering the agents are charged with infiltrating communities of color to detain “illegal immigrants.” And while some cases of aggressive policing make headlines, there are countless others that never make the news. Nevertheless, the harm is real, affecting the collective mental health of communities of color and others as well.

Keep ReadingShow less
Solidarity Without Borders: Civil Society Must Coordinate Internationally to Protect Democracy and Rights

People standing, holding letters that spell out "courage."

Photo provided

Solidarity Without Borders: Civil Society Must Coordinate Internationally to Protect Democracy and Rights

Across every continent, marginalized communities face systematic, escalating threats wherever democracy comes under attack. In the United States, Black Americans confront voter suppression and attacks on our history. Across the Americas, immigrants and racialized communities face racial profiling and assault by immigration enforcement. In Brazil and across South America, Indigenous peoples endure environmental destruction and rising violence. In Europe, Roma communities, immigrants, and refugees experience discrimination and hostile policies. Across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, members of marginalized ethnic and religious communities face state violence, forced labor, and the denial of basic human rights. In every region of the world, members of the LGBTQ+ community face discrimination and threats.

These are not random or isolated acts of oppression. When considered together, they reveal something more sinister: authoritarianism is becoming increasingly more connected and coordinated around the world. This coordination specifically targets the most vulnerable because authoritarians understand that it is easier to manipulate a divided and fearful society. Attacking those who are most marginalized weakens the entire democratic fabric.

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2026