What does ChatGPT think about CBDC?

Would the totalitarian regime from Orwell’s 1984 novel have appreciated CBDCs? We asked ChatGPT.

What does ChatGPT think about CBDCs?

Question: Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984” portrays a totalitarian regime using mass surveillance and oppressive indoctrination of the population to maintain its power. Would this fictional regime have appreciated the capabilities of the CBDC and would it have used them?

Here is the answer in 5 points from ChatGPT:

“Orwell’s 1984 novel indeed represents a terrifying version of a totalitarian regime that uses technology and psychological manipulation to control every aspect of its citizens’ lives.

The concept of a CBDC is essentially a digital form of fiat currency issued and regulated by a country’s central bank. It offers several possibilities that could match the interests of a regime like the one described in Orwell’s story, especially in terms of surveillance, control, and direct intervention in the economy.”

1) Enhanced Surveillance and Data Collection

“A CBDC would enable a government to track all transactions in real-time. In Orwell’s dystopian society, such a level of financial surveillance would perfectly align with the Party’s desire to monitor and control every aspect of individual behavior. It could be used to ensure that no unauthorized transactions take place and to monitor money flows to detect any signs of dissent or deviation from the norm.”

2) Control of Finances

“With a CBDC, the government could directly control individuals’ access to their money. This means that a person considered a threat or non-conformist could have their access to funds restricted or completely removed. This is in line with the repressive measures employed by the regime in 1984.”

3) Programmable Currency

“CBDCs can be designed to be programmable. This means that rules and conditions can be built into the currency itself. For example, the money could be programmed to be spent only on certain goods or services, or within a specific timeframe. This level of control could be a powerful tool for a regime eager to dictate or influence its citizens’ economic behavior and choices.”

4) Elimination of Anonymity

“Transitioning to a fully digital currency could eliminate the anonymity provided by cash transactions. In the novel 1984, the Party’s goal is to eliminate any private space for dissent or unsupervised activity. Removing anonymous transactions would help to close loopholes in tracking economic activity.”

5) Direct Economic Intervention

“A CBDC would enable direct and immediate implementation of monetary policy decisions on individuals’ accounts. This would facilitate, for example, the direct distribution of funds or the imposition of negative interest rates to stimulate spending. Such direct control could be used by a regime to rapidly implement economic measures. This aligns with the efficiency and directness sought by the Party in controlling Oceania.

These capabilities could theoretically improve the efficiency and stability of a nation’s financial system under a benevolent government. But in the hands of a totalitarian regime like the one described in 1984, they could be powerful tools of surveillance, control, and repression, extending government control further into the personal lives of its citizens, even beyond what Orwell could have imagined.”

Unlike CHATGPT, your servant rather thinks that the CBDC will be used to organize periodic rationing. The goal would be to master the inflation that will become increasingly painful alongside the scarcity of energy.

But the crucial point is there. Sam Altman’s AI believes that the CBDC could be a totalitarian tool worthy of the worst dystopian novels. Like Worldcoin?

Bitcoin represents a counter-power that will protect humanity from its worst inclinations.