OPINION — The American Dream is built on a “work hard, move up” narrative. It’s a vision fueled by the Founding Fathers’ recognition of inalienable rights that has taken flight among homesteaders, gold rushers, freedom marchers, Silicon Valley pioneers and a host of others who believed in it.
Those seeking life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in 2026 have a problem. With artificial intelligence, the “work hard, move up” narrative is no longer a promise. It’s a gamble.
The new dividing line isn’t AI versus no AI, but whether people use AI to extend their judgment or quietly outsource it. Used well, AI is leverage. Used badly, it’s anesthesia.
