May 1st
May 1st, 2026
On April 30th, a court in Hangzhou ruled that a Chinese tech company had illegally dismissed a worker whose role had been automated by AI. The ruling was published in the lead-up to International Workers' Day. The symbolism wasn't subtle.
On one hand, I read from business leaders about the wonders of AI's impact on efficiency and effectiveness, from tech entrepreneurs about the promises of freedom from mundane work and plenty for all. On the other, I read the reactions from people either using or being replaced by AI — more work, tighter deadlines, more stress, lesser output quality. I find myself in between. I see first hand the value, the potential, the sometimes frightening power. But I also feel the weight of the magic-like assumptions that result in an acceleration of input — often faulty input — with the expectation of increasingly faster and better output. Palantir's CEO publishing what can only be described as a Bond villain manifesto online doesn't exactly help shine a benevolent light on the industry.
I'm also witnessing the no-screens movement growing, light phones selling, the cyberdeck community expanding quietly, the calls for internet limitations, all aiming to regain control of connectivity, exposure, time. Over 30 US states have enacted school phone bans, reversing years of digital-first education policy. I live in Madrid and I see it firsthand. I am, myself, battling my own dependency on screens and craving some freedom from the black mirror.
There is definitely something there. The political winds in the west are beginning to change. The counter-movement is already here, and will naturally permeate public opinion and policy — creating tension between a tech industry and its shareholders pushing for acceleration, a leadership layer eager to extract value cheaply, and a working class beginning to push back.
China's court didn't ban AI. It said the cost of technological transformation cannot be shifted entirely onto workers. That's a more precise statement. And the date couldn't have been more deliberate.