I think the common-man conception of AI is really flawed. Consider that autopilot -- clearly a form of AI -- was invented in 1914. AI is far older than computers and corporations are a clear and excellent example. It's a slippery slope -- and I think it is worth sliding all the way down. Once we realize how completely pervasive AI is, I think we have a much better understanding of how to govern it in the future.

Personally, I find cybernetics to have a much stronger philosophical basis than AI; I particularly like how Norbert Weiner described how cybernetic feedback loops can lower local entropy.