People's Compute: Design and the Politics of AI Infrastructures

This paper argues that protecting human autonomy in AI systems requires moving beyond application-level contestability to address three critical dimensions: (1) shifting focus from applications to infrastructures that shape technological possibilities; (2) designing for collectives rather than individuals to foster democratic governance; and (3) adopting realist rather than idealist approaches to address actual power relations. The author proposes a research agenda called "People's Compute" that aims to democratize AI infrastructure through constructive HCI design research, positioning designers as embedded accomplices who build capacity within communities for technological self-determination. This approach offers an alternative path between neoliberal technocracy and populist anti-politics in our current era of increasing technological sovereigntism.