Tracing the Evolution of Technological Governance - A Historical Perspective on the Rise of Artificial Intelligence and Its Societal Impact

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has evolved from symbolic logic systems and Cold War surveillance tools into today’s generative models that shape global labour markets, education systems, and democratic processes. This paper traces the historical evolution of technological governance by examining how AI has been regulated, resisted, and reimagined across key periods, from the industrial and cybernetic eras to the rise of algorithmic control and contemporary governance crises.

Employing a genealogical-historical methodology rooted in Foucauldian analysis, this study reframes AI not as a singular technological innovation, but as a layered sociotechnical phenomenon embedded in systems of epistemic and political power. Drawing from global academic literature and policy developments, it identifies four critical phases in AI’s regulatory history and evaluates their societal impact, especially on labour, education, ethics, and governance.

The paper criticizes cognitive unfairness, misleading techno-solutionism, and the prevalence of Western-centric AI paradigms that stifle voices from the Global South. It examines the fragmented world of contemporary regulation, from China's algorithmic limits to India's Responsible AI initiative and the EU AI Act, while also highlighting innovation and inequity.

In order to solve persistent governance flaws, the paper proposes a shift toward inclusive, adaptable, and pluralistic AI policy founded on moral foresight, democratic engagement, and global justice. By reasserting the importance of history in shaping future governance trajectories, this study contributes to a more reflexive and accountable approach to managing AI’s societal role.