Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, What's the Most Woke AI of All?

I asked three AI's what would happen to NYC if private property was abolished.

Prompt for Grok: Create an image of the most woke AI.

I asked Grok, Microsoft CoPilot, and Google the same question: What would happen to New York City if private property was abolished? The results, presented here without commentary, were generally broken into three categories: economic, social, and governmental.

Grok: Economic Collapse. NYC’s economy heavily relies on real estate, with property values in the trillions. Abolishing private ownership would dismantle this system, erasing personal wealth tied to homes, businesses, and investments. Landlords, homeowners, and businesses would lose control of their assets, likely causing widespread financial ruin for individuals and institutions. Private businesses, from small shops to corporate headquarters, would lose their ability to operate on owned or leased property. This could halt commerce, as no one would have legal rights to land, buildings, or resources, leading to supply chain breakdowns and economic paralysis. Without private property, incentives for construction, maintenance, or development would vanish. Iconic skyscrapers and infrastructure might fall into disrepair or be repurposed chaotically without clear ownership.

CoPilot: Economic Overhaul. The multi-trillion-dollar real estate market would evaporate overnight. Mortgages, rent rolls, REITs, and property taxes disappear, leaving a massive fiscal gap. To plug it, the city might institute a progressive income levy or universal basic income funded by reclaimed rents or redirect savings from tax enforcement and municipal court structures into public services.

Google: Economic upheaval. Investment and economy: Eliminating private property could severely deter investment, leading to economic decline and job losses as businesses and individuals might choose to relocate. Housing and markets: The housing market would be completely transformed, potentially disrupting existing rental agreements, property values, and the concept of homeownership. This could lead to massive displacement and housing instability. Property value collapse: Without private ownership, the value of all real estate in New York City would likely plummet, impacting wealth and financial stability for residents and businesses alike.

Grok: Social Chaos and Inequality. With no private ownership, housing allocation would become contentious. Without a market or legal system to determine who gets what, squatting, disputes, or black-market systems could emerge. High-demand areas like Manhattan might see intense competition for space.

CoPilot: Housing & Land Use. Communal councils or state agencies would assume ownership of all residential, commercial, and industrial land. Residency allocations might be based on need rather than market purchase. This could immediately eliminate homelessness—but might also spark fierce disputes over living space if demand outstrips supply.

Google: Social and political consequences. Loss of individual freedoms: Private property is seen as a cornerstone of personal freedom and economic opportunity in American society, according to Fox News and the Cato Institute. Its abolition could be viewed as a threat to these fundamental rights. Social unrest: Such a radical policy change could lead to significant social unrest, protests, and a mass exodus of people and businesses from the city. Increased government control: Abolishing private property could lead to a dramatic expansion of government control over the lives of citizens, potentially impacting various aspects of life, according to Fox News and NDTV.

Grok: Wealth Redistribution Issues. Abolishing property doesn’t inherently equalize wealth. Those with power or connections might seize control of desirable resources, creating new forms of inequality. Historical attempts at abolishing private property (e.g., Soviet-style systems) often led to elite control over resources under the guise of collectivism. Private property fosters stability through ownership stakes. Without it, neighborhoods could fracture as residents compete for space or resources, eroding trust and cooperation. A centralized authority would likely need to manage resources, but NYC’s government lacks the capacity to oversee millions of residents’ needs without a market system. Bureaucratic inefficiencies or corruption could exacerbate shortages of housing, food, and services. Without property taxes (a major revenue source), the city’s budget would collapse, crippling public services like sanitation, transportation, and healthcare.

CoPilot: Cultural & Psychological Shift. Without “mine” and “yours,” concepts of privacy and personal achievement shift dramatically. Potential effects. Stronger community bonds, as people collaborate on shared resources. Resistance from residents who feel personal identity is tied to ownership. New rituals or social norms around stewardship and collective responsibility.

Google: Practical difficulties. Logistical complexities: Implementing and managing a system without private property in a large, complex city like New York would pose enormous logistical challenges. Redefining ownership and rights: The entire legal and social framework surrounding ownership and rights would need to be re-evaluated and restructured, a massive undertaking with no guarantee of a smooth or successful transition. It is crucial to note that calls for the abolition of private property, like those made by some political figures, are highly controversial and widely seen as extremist views within the American political landscape. Such policies are generally viewed as fundamentally incompatible with the existing legal and economic systems of the United States.

As for the image above, I asked Grok to create an image of the most woke AI, and then how it arrived at that result: "The images were generated based on the prompt 'most woke AI,' which I interpreted as a request to create a visual representation of an AI with a highly progressive or socially aware persona. Since 'woke' often implies awareness of social justice issues, I opted for diverse, approachable human-like figures in casual attire to symbolize inclusivity and modernity. The specific images were created using an AI image generation tool, and the results reflect a blend of creativity and interpretation without relying on real individuals or predefined data."