This split on the right, between AI optimists and AI worriers, was more or less inevitable. It’s rooted in the longstanding tension within conservatism between, on the one hand, libertarians and other free market enthusiasts, and, on the other, “Burkean” conservatives, who value tradition and view rapid change with suspicion. But the split got deeper when, during the 2024 campaign, libertarian tech bros like David Sacks joined the Trump coalition and Trump became more dependent on Silicon Valley money.