Don’t Miss the Empire of AI: Using It Isn’t Optional, It’s Power

As I’ve deepened my work with AI to better support the nonprofits I care for and love, I’ve also carved out time to grasp the political, philosophical, and policy implications this technology presents - not just for nonprofits, but for society at large. No article, blog, or book has shaped my thinking more than Karen Hao’s Empire of AI. Superbly researched and remarkably balanced, it’s not just a book - it’s a map. A map of who’s drawing the borders, extracting the value, and defining the future.

Hao makes one thing crystal clear: AI isn’t a neutral tool. It’s a system of power. And like every system of power, you’re either at the table - or you’re missing the meal.

That’s why choosing whether to use AI is no longer a matter of personal preference, moral hesitation, or digital fatigue. It’s a matter of sovereignty - over your mission, your work, your time, and your relevance in a world being reshaped by a handful of players and platforms.

With clarity and precision, Hao lays it out: those who engage AI intentionally - those who prompt it well, design with purpose, and act with awareness - gain leverage. Those who don’t? They risk being left behind. Not because they’re lacking smarts, but because they didn’t show up when it counted. Empire-building doesn’t wait for consensus.

Some talk about AI as a wave to ignore. Others say it’s a tide washing over us. Empire of AI teaches us: this wave is being engineered. And if we don’t get in the water, we don’t get a say in where it goes.

For nonprofits, social innovators, and mission-driven leaders, the takeaway is urgent: AI isn’t magic - but it is power. And if you don’t use it to lighten your load, deepen your insight, or accelerate your mission - someone else will. And they may not share your values, your community, or your cause.  Using AI isn’t just a tech decision. It’s a political act. A leadership stance. And in this new landscape, an economic necessity.

Because in the empire of AI, the choice isn’t simply what tools to use. It’s whether you want to shape the future—or be shaped by those who do.