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President Donald Trump’s artificial intelligence czar says the real danger with AI is a society that reflects the future foreseen by George Orwell in his novel “1984,” saying, "it’s kind of the perfect tool for the government to monitor and control you." (Mikhail Seleznev - iStock / Getty Images)

Trump Tech Czar Says AI's Danger More Like Orwell's '1984' Than 'Terminator'

By Randy DeSoto November 5, 2025 at 4:00am

David Sacks — President Donald Trump’s AI and cryptocurrency czar — says the real danger he sees with artificial intelligence is not the dystopian vision of director James Cameron in the “Terminator” movie, but that foreseen by George Orwell in his novel “1984.”

“I almost feel like the term ‘woke AI’ is insufficient to explain what’s going on, because it somehow trivializes it,” he told the hosts during the Monday episode of the a16z podcast, which focuses on technology and culture trends.

“What we’re really talking about is Orwellian AI. We’re talking about AI that lies to you, that distorts an answer, that rewrites history in real time to serve a current political agenda of the people who are in power,” Sacks continued.

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Tags:

Artificial intelligence, Big government, Federal government, Science and tech, Technology, Trump administration

Randy DeSoto

Contributing Journalist

SummaryMore Biographical InformationRecent PostsContact

Randy DeSoto has written more than 3,000 articles for The Western Journal since he began with the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."

@RandyDeSoto

Randy DeSoto wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.

Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.

Birthplace

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Nationality

American

Honors/Awards

Graduated dean's list from West Point

Education

United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law

Books Written

We Hold These Truths

Professional Memberships

Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars