cringe at being called “Mother of the Cloud," but having been part of the development and implementation of the internet and networking industry—as an entrepreneur, CTO of Cisco, and on the boards of Disney and FedEx—I am fortunate to have had a 360-degree view of the technologies that are at the foundation of our modern world.

I have never had such mixed feelings about technological innovation. In stark contrast to the early days of internet development, when many stakeholders had a say, discussions about AI and our future are being shaped by leaders who seem to be striving for absolute ideological power. The result is “Authoritarian Intelligence.” The hubris and determination of tech leaders to control society is threatening our individual, societal, and business autonomy.