Totalitarian Governments vs. Creative Liberals in the Age of AI
Deeyah Khan, Authoritarianism, and the Radical Power of Art
In a world increasingly dominated by surveillance, control, and division, creativity might seem like a luxury. But what if it’s actually our last line of defense?
Award-winning filmmaker and activist Deeyah Khan has long argued that art is not simply a form of expression—it is an act of resistance. Her documentaries have peeled back the layers of extremism, patriarchy, and power, giving voice to those silenced by fear and authoritarian rule. But her deeper message is one that resonates far beyond the screen: when creativity dies, so does freedom.
The Authoritarian Fear of Art
Authoritarian regimes have always understood the threat of art. From North Korea’s propaganda machine to the censorship laws in Iran, creative expression is often one of the first things to be suppressed. Why? Because art opens a window—what Khan calls “a window in the box.” It offers people the chance to feel another reality, to question, to dream, and most dangerously for authoritarian systems—to imagine alternatives.
Creativity is inherently subversive. It does not obey. It does not follow. It carves its own path, and in doing so, it creates a crack in the armor of control.
Deeyah Khan: A Light in the Dark
In this climate, Deeyah Khan stands out as a rare voice of moral clarity and courage. She isn’t just documenting reality—she’s helping us imagine a better one. Her work is a reminder that stories, images, and sounds are not just content. They are culture. They are resistance. They are blueprints for liberation.
Khan’s warning is urgent: when governments erode artistic freedom, when creativity is boxed in by fear or commodification, society begins to rot from the inside out. But the inverse is also true. When we protect creativity, we protect democracy. We protect humanity.
Plagiarism by Proxy: How AI Is Undermining Artists—and Why Elton John Is Right to Be Furious
As AI-generated art floods the internet and policy makers flirt with deregulating creative copyright, one thing is clear: we are witnessing the mass devaluation of human creativity. And at the heart of the storm stands an unlikely warrior—Sir Elton John.
This isn’t just about music. It’s about the soul of culture. And Elton John, a lifelong champion of creative freedom, is calling it exactly as it is: "criminal," "a betrayal," and "theft on a grand scale."
The False Promise of Generative AI
On the surface, generative AI seems magical. Type a prompt, get a painting. Enter a theme, receive a melody. Ask for an essay, get a script. But these models don’t conjure genius from thin air. They’re built on the backs of real human work—scraped, repackaged, and rebranded as “innovation.”
In many countries, including the UK, governments are proposing legislation that would allow tech companies to train AI models on copyrighted material without permission or compensation. The creative class—musicians, writers, visual artists, actors—has suddenly found itself being replaced by machines trained on their own stolen work.
From Artists to Prompt Engineers—and Plagiarists
The rise of prompt engineering as a new form of "creativity" is deeply unsettling. Prompt engineers aren’t creators in the traditional sense—they’re conductors of derivative synthesis, rewarded not for originality but for knowing how to manipulate existing material.
Meanwhile, platforms are saturated with AI art that imitates real artists’ styles without attribution, and writers see their tone and structure mimicked by large language models trained on their published work. What used to take a decade of practice can now be faked in 30 seconds—with zero royalties and zero respect.
This is not progress. This is plagiarism by proxy, industrialized and automated.
Elton John's Battle Cry
Sir Elton John isn’t buying the hype. In interviews and public statements, he’s slammed the UK government’s proposals to weaken copyright protections as "an insult" to creators. He’s called them "absolute losers" and has warned that these policies will rob young artists of their legacy and their future.
“A machine doesn’t have a soul. It doesn’t have a heart. It doesn’t have human feeling. It doesn’t have passion,” he said. “That’s what makes an artist.”
He’s pledged to fight these changes in court if necessary. And he’s not alone—hundreds of creatives have joined him in demanding that governments rethink their approach to AI and creativity before it’s too late.
What’s at Stake
This isn’t just about celebrity outrage. Elton John is one of the few people with enough platform and protection to say what many emerging artists can’t afford to: that AI, if left unchecked, will flatten the arts, consolidate power in the hands of tech giants, and dismantle the economic lifeline of millions of creators.
If governments allow AI models to train on copyrighted work without consent, it sets a dangerous precedent:
Emerging artists will lose income streams they’ve only just begun to build.
Cultural production will be dominated by a handful of companies controlling datasets and algorithms.
The next generation of artists may never get a chance to develop a voice before it’s drowned out by machine-made mimicry.
What We Can Do
To preserve artistic integrity and economic fairness in the age of AI, we must act now.
Policy Solutions:
Mandate consent and compensation for any copyrighted material used in AI training.
Enforce transparency in how generative models are built—what data they use, how it’s acquired, and how profits are shared.
Label AI-generated content clearly and consistently, so audiences know what is human and what is machine-made.
Support for Creatives:
Create public royalty-sharing systems for artists whose work is used in AI datasets.
Fund legal defense programs for independent creators fighting exploitation.
Develop AI ethics councils led by artists, not just technologists or bureaucrats.
Cultural Response:
Promote human-made art.
Encourage consumers to pay for originality.
Teach the next generation to value emotional depth, imperfection, and lived experience over synthetic perfection.
When AI Becomes a Weapon: How Authoritarianism Will Use Technology to Kill Creativity
Creativity is one of the purest forms of freedom. It is how we process our pain, dream new worlds, and speak truth to power. But as authoritarian governments embrace artificial intelligence, we must confront a terrifying reality: creativity is in the crosshairs.
We are entering a world where machines watch, predict, and punish—not just behaviors, but thoughts. And the more AI is used to control society, the more creativity becomes a threat to that control.
Authoritarianism’s Old Enemy: Art
Repressive regimes have always feared artists.
From poets imprisoned under Soviet rule, to painters and musicians exiled during Nazi Germany, to filmmakers silenced in modern-day Iran and China—art has always been the language of rebellion. It bypasses propaganda. It awakens empathy. It speaks to the part of us that refuses to be ruled.
Authoritarianism thrives on control. Creativity thrives on chaos, contradiction, and complexity. One cannot coexist with the other.
And now, with the advent of AI, authoritarian states have a tool that doesn’t just suppress dissent—it predicts it before it happens.
The AI Toolset of Repression
Here’s how authoritarian regimes are already using or planning to use AI to crush creative freedom:
1. Censorship at Machine Speed
AI can analyze and flag subversive content in real time—art, music, writing, or speech—before it ever reaches the public. What used to take a team of censors can now be done by a single algorithm scanning millions of uploads per hour.
2. Predictive Policing of Artists
Creative expression often comes from marginalized groups. With AI-powered surveillance, regimes can use social graphs, emotional tone analysis, and behavioral predictions to preemptively target artists, activists, and thinkers, labeling them as threats before they even speak out.
3. Automated Propaganda
AI-generated content can flood public discourse with synthetic culture—fake music, fake videos, fake narratives—blurring truth and overwhelming authentic voices. In this environment, real creators struggle to be heard over the machine-made noise.
4. Digital Blacklisting
Facial recognition, digital ID systems, and biometric tracking enable regimes to blacklist dissenting artists, freezing their bank accounts, denying them access to jobs, travel, and housing—turning creative rebellion into economic ruin.
5. Cultural Replacement
By training generative AI models on massive amounts of art and literature—often scraped without consent—authoritarians can reproduce and repackage cultural works stripped of their political context. AI becomes a tool not of creation, but of erasure.
Why Creativity Matters Now More Than Ever
Creativity isn’t a luxury. It’s not just about beauty or entertainment. It is how we process trauma, question systems, and imagine liberation.
Authoritarianism flattens the human spirit. Art inflates it.
AI, left unchecked, becomes the perfect tool for governments who want order without dissent, expression without meaning, and people without agency.
And this isn’t science fiction.
China’s social credit system already combines AI surveillance with behavioral scoring. Iran uses facial recognition to enforce hijab laws. Russia deploys AI bots to spread propaganda and discredit opposition. The infrastructure is here. The motive is ancient.
The Fight Ahead: Defending Creativity as a Human Right
If we don’t want a future where AI-policed culture is the norm, we need urgent safeguards:
1. Ban AI Censorship Without Due Process
No artwork, performance, or speech should be removed or punished based solely on algorithmic decision-making. All AI censorship should require human oversight and public accountability.
2. Protect Artists from Surveillance
Outlaw the use of facial recognition, location tracking, or biometric monitoring to target creators or restrict cultural participation.
3. Fund Creative Resistance
Public funds should support underground artists, independent media, and digital art collectives committed to protecting creative freedom in authoritarian states.
4. Build Decentralized Creative Platforms
We must build and protect digital spaces that are censorship-resistant, community-governed, and designed to elevate human-made art over algorithmic content.
5. Declare Creativity a Protected Human Right
The UN and international legal frameworks must formally recognize creative expression as a fundamental right, with AI-specific protections enshrined in international law.
Is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) a Totalitarian Leader?
Short Answer: Not in the strict political science sense—but he leads a deeply repressive authoritarian regime with totalitarian-like tendencies in certain domains.
Authoritarian vs. Totalitarian: Understanding the Difference
To accurately assess whether MbS is a totalitarian leader, it's essential to define the term. A totalitarian regime typically involves:
A single, all-encompassing ideology that justifies total state control.
Total dominance over both public and private life, including thought, behavior, and belief systems.
A single ruling party, often headed by a cult-like figure.
Mass surveillance, secret police, and the use of terror as a tool of governance.
Suppression of all opposition, even at the family or local level.
By contrast, authoritarianism is characterized by:
Strong centralized power, often held by a single leader or small elite.
Limited political freedoms and no genuine democratic institutions.
Repression of dissent, but without necessarily controlling every aspect of personal life.
Where MbS Fits
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has consolidated power across nearly all institutions in Saudi Arabia, from the military and intelligence services to the economy (via the Public Investment Fund). Under his leadership:
Dissent is brutally repressed, including high-profile cases like the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the detention of activists, critics, and even members of the royal family.
Political pluralism is nonexistent—Saudi Arabia remains an absolute monarchy with no elections or real separation of powers.
Freedom of expression is tightly controlled, with social media users, clerics, and even comedians targeted.
Surveillance has increased, with sophisticated tools used to track activists and critics, both domestically and abroad.
However:
Saudi Arabia does not enforce a unifying state ideology like communism or Juche.
There is no ruling party structure, as in China or North Korea.
Religion and the monarchy form the basis of legitimacy, but there’s no forced ideological conformity in all aspects of daily life.
People still enjoy some private freedoms, particularly in consumption, fashion, and travel—more so under MbS’s reforms than before.
Iceland: An Unexpected Haven of Creativity — And How Its Schools Are Leading a Quiet Revolution
When people think of Iceland, they often picture glaciers, volcanoes, and the northern lights. But beneath its dramatic landscape lies something just as powerful: a national culture rooted in creativity, emotional well-being, and community resilience. And nowhere is this more evident than in its schools.
Iceland has quietly become one of the most compelling examples of how creativity can be institutionalized—not as a luxury, but as a form of prevention, empowerment, and social transformation.
A Public Health Crisis Sparked a Cultural Shift
In the late 1990s, Iceland was facing a youth crisis. Teenagers were among the heaviest drinkers and smokers in Europe. Substance abuse, violence, and disengagement from school were widespread. Rather than criminalizing these behaviors or launching punitive campaigns, Iceland did something radical: they turned to creativity.
Backed by neuroscience, social science, and a deep respect for human development, Iceland launched a national program that made access to creative outlets a legal right for young people.
The Science Behind the Shift
Neuroscientists had discovered that the brain’s dopamine and endorphin systems—which can be hijacked by substances and screens—can also be nourished through music, dance, sports, and other creative outlets. In other words: creativity could compete with addiction.
The government responded by:
Offering free access to music lessons, dance studios, visual arts, and sports clubs.
Banning alcohol and tobacco advertising targeted at youth.
Enforcing curfews for teens, supported by parents.
Integrating creative programs into the national curriculum.
These weren’t side projects—they became core components of public education and child development.
The result? Teen substance use rates dropped by over 50% in just a few years. And more importantly, a new generation of Icelanders began growing up emotionally literate, artistically engaged, and socially connected.
Creativity as a Civic Right
In Iceland today, creativity is not a privilege. It's part of a healthy life. The government provides annual “leisure cards” to families, which fund after-school creative activities. The philosophy is simple but profound: a child who learns to express themselves through creativity is less likely to harm themselves or others.
And Icelanders have taken this to heart. The country consistently punches far above its weight in literature, music, and design. From global music icons like Björk and Of Monsters and Men to a thriving local arts scene, Iceland proves that a small nation can have a loud cultural voice—when creativity is nurtured, not neglected.
Lessons for the World
At a time when many countries are slashing arts funding, siloing education, and outsourcing expression to algorithms, Iceland’s model offers a powerful counterpoint.
Here’s what other nations can learn:
Creativity is not optional. It is a public good, with measurable benefits in mental health, crime reduction, and civic engagement.
Young people need tools to process emotion. Art offers this in ways that lectures and tests never can.
Systemic investment matters. Creativity must be built into the infrastructure of education and community life—not left to charity or chance.
A Beacon in a Darkening World
As AI threatens to replace human-made art, and as authoritarian regimes crack down on cultural expression, Iceland’s approach feels increasingly radical. It is a reminder that art is not just an output—it is a right, a medicine, and a form of democratic resilience.
Iceland has shown that when you give young people a way to express themselves, you give them a reason to believe in the future.
And in a world that often feels cold and automated, that may be the most revolutionary idea of all.
Solutions: Defending Democracy and Creativity in the Age of AI
To resist AI authoritarianism, we must urgently develop and implement policies that protect freedom, dignity, and human imagination.
1. Human Rights-Based AI Governance
Restrict exports of surveillance tech to authoritarian regimes.
License and audit high-risk AI systems with mandatory human rights impact assessments.
Establish a global AI oversight body akin to the International Atomic Energy Agency, with enforcement power.
2. Safeguard Creative Labor and Data
Pass laws requiring explicit consent and compensation when creative work is used to train AI.
Mandate clear labelling of AI-generated content, with transparency on its training data.
Create public registries and opt-out tools for creatives to protect their work.
3. Reinvest in Human-Centered Art
Establish a national creative fund to support artists using AI ethically or resisting its dominance.
Offer tax incentives for companies that employ human creatives.
Promote cultural literacy campaigns that elevate human-made art and deepen public understanding of its value.
4. Strengthen Collective Power
Support creative unions and guilds to negotiate fair AI usage rights.
Encourage global cooperation between artists, technologists, and rights organizations to form shared defense strategies.
5. Rebuild Trust in Culture and Connection
Promote educational curricula rooted in critical thinking, emotional literacy, and the arts.
Redesign technology platforms to elevate authenticity over virality, and human connection over algorithmic addiction.
Paint. Dance. Laugh. Write. Create.
Why Your Art Matters More Than Ever
We’re often told creativity is a luxury.
Something you do when the chores are done. A weekend escape. A pleasant distraction.
But that’s not the full story.
Because history shows us something different.
Creativity has always been a quiet kind of strength.
A way to stay human when the world forgets how.
A whisper of truth when louder voices try to drown it out.
The Slow Creep of Control
When we think of authoritarianism, we imagine it arriving with sirens and boots.
But more often, it arrives quietly.
A small shift in the law.
A sudden silence on a platform.
A glance over your shoulder before you speak.
Sometimes it’s wrapped in language about safety.
Sometimes it’s disguised as politeness—"Don't be so political," they say.
But bit by bit, the space for expression shrinks.
And you don’t notice how precious your voice was
until the world around you starts asking for permission.
Creativity Is a Kind of Freedom
You don’t have to be loud to resist.
You don’t have to be famous. Or trained. Or perfect.
You just have to make something.
A painting that makes no sense to anyone but you.
A poem that stings a little when you read it back.
A video that cracks a smile in someone having a hard day.
A dance that helps you feel your body again.
Each act of creativity is a small declaration:
“I’m still here. I still feel. I still choose to share.”
And in that moment, you are free.
Why Authoritarians Fear Artists
In every repressive system, artists are often among the first silenced.
Because art moves people. It slips past logic and lands in the heart.
It doesn’t just describe the world—it invites us to reimagine it.
A single painting can linger longer than a headline.
A joke can carry truth in a way speeches never could.
A melody can echo in the mind long after the shouting stops.
Art can’t be tamed. And that makes it powerful.
You Don’t Have to Be a Master—You Just Have to Begin
You don’t need a studio or an audience.
You don’t need to go viral.
You just need to begin.
Start with something small.
Write the words that won’t leave you alone.
Capture the mess. The beauty. The confusion.
Not for approval—but because it matters to you.
In doing so, you might give someone else permission to begin too.
And that’s how movements start.
While We Still Can
If you’ve never lived in a place where singing the wrong song could get you arrested,
or where a story could be used as evidence,
consider yourself lucky.
But that freedom comes with a quiet responsibility:
To use it. To protect it. To pass it on.
Because when expression disappears, it doesn’t always come back.
Make Something That Moves You
So dance in your kitchen. Write that messy, beautiful essay.
Sing out of tune. Paint something wild.
Your creativity doesn’t need permission.
Just a little courage. And the belief that feeling something—deeply—is still a worthy act.
Because silence has never saved us.
But your voice? Your vision? Your art?
It just might.