About Ziggurat

Ziggurat explores the hidden architecture of artificial intelligence from a humanist perspective. We pierce through the deceptive narratives of Big Tech to uncover what lies behind the black box: not superintelligence, but harmful, politically-influenced algorithms that enable the worst humanitarian crimes today.

Ziggurat is behind Against Machines and The People’s Caucus on AI

Behind the Name

A ziggurat is an ancient, stepped pyramid temple — an architectural symbol of knowledge, power, and civilization. In the story of the world’s most infamous ziggurat, the Biblical Tower of Babel, humans sought ultimate power over technology by building a monument that could reach to the stars in defiance of God. As punishment, they were deprived of their ability to communicate with each other under a shared language and flung into endless war for generations to come.

One year before Pope Leo opened his encyclical letter on AI with the story of Babel, we named this publication with the same intention. The internet and artificial intelligence are our Tower of Babel today: Although these technologies once sought to bring people together under a shared language and technological project, in the end, they fractured discourse, divided societies, and turned language and culture into a battleground.

Ziggurat is a protected political pamphlet and creative project protected by the First Amendment and dedicated to offering public education and resources.