Cyberpunk, the Postglobal and the Posthuman

A clear similarity of corporate dominance in cyberpunk and that which is seen in our world is the pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical industry’s pricing practices show how corporate power can monetize human lives. These practices directly shape who’s live can be saved and who can get access to things that are means of survival. This is specifically seen in medications like insulin, which are a common topic of discussion because of how expensive this life-changing medication is for those people who are diagnosed with diabetes. Based on data from a research report by Andrew W. Mulcahy and Daniel Schwam, which compares insulin prices in the United States with those in other wealthy countries, it shows that insulin prices in the United States are nearly 10 times higher than in other wealthy countries. Researchers publishing in JAMA Network Open further explain that insulin list prices have steadily increased for decades, even as negotiations made the system more complex and less transparent. This system mirrors cyberpunk corporations like the Tyrell Corporation in Blade Runner. In that world, access to life through replicants is controlled by a corporation that decides who is valuable enough to exist. In reality, pharmaceutical pricing isn’t creating life; it is sustaining it by playing the role of caregiver and allowing for a better quality of life. This issue derives from the fact that big companies, which are components of the capitalistic society, act as intermediaries between drug companies and insurers. Regulators have accused these firms of steering patients toward higher-priced drugs to maximize profits. Just like in fictional texts we have read, like Neuromancer, big corporations dominate entire networks; real-world pharmaceutical and insurance systems create so much control that it is made difficult for individuals to navigate or challenge. I think we are heading toward a cyberpunk future because of the massive influence on public health. When a company can effectively determine whether a patient can afford insulin, it holds a form of biopolitical power that cyberpunk stories exaggerate but do not invent. I think the cyberpunk corporate dominance is a hyperbolic critique. This is because it imagines worlds where corporations have so much power that they basically control who lives and who dies. This is very dramatic, but the insulin situation is a real version of that. Pharmaceutical pricing reveals a major difference between the U.S. and other countries. In many European nations, governments negotiate drug prices directly or impose strict pricing regulations. As a result, insulin costs are far lower abroad. This suggests that the issue is not just corporate greed, but also policy structure. The U.S. healthcare system allows more pricing freedom, while other countries prioritize universal access over market flexibility. Pharmaceutical pricing shows that we are not living in a full cyberpunk dystopia, but we are close enough to see its outlines. When corporations can influence who gets access to life-saving medication, they begin to resemble the powerful entities in Blade Runner and Neuromancer. The difference is that, for now, we still have tools to resist: regulation, public pressure, and critical awareness. Cyberpunk reminds us that the future is not predetermined; it is shaped by how we respond to the systems we build today.

When Corporations Write the Rules: Are We Living in a Cyberpunk Prologue?

In cyberpunk worlds, governments fade into the background while corporations become the real centers of power. From the Tyrell Corporation in Blade Runner to Tessier-Ashpool in Neuromancer, these entities control labor, technology, and even human identity. What once felt like speculative fiction now feels eerily familiar. Across industries, from Big Tech to pharmaceuticals, real-world corporations increasingly shape public policy, economic opportunity, and even the boundaries of human autonomy.

Surveillance Capitalism: Owning Not Just Data, but Behavior

One of the clearest parallels to cyberpunk fiction lies in what scholars call surveillance capitalism. Companies like Google and Meta Platforms collect massive amounts of user data( not just to understand behavior), but to predict and influence it. According to Shoshana Zuboff, this model turns human experience into raw material for profit, often without meaningful consent. This echoes Neuromancer, where corporations don’t just sell products, they shape reality itself. In both cases, individuals become resources. The difference? Today’s version operates quietly, embedded in everyday apps and platforms.

Pharmaceutical Power: Pricing Life Itself

The pharmaceutical industry provides another stark example. Companies like Eli Lilly and Pfizer have faced scrutiny over drug pricing practices, particularly in the United States. For instance, insulin prices rose dramatically over decades, despite the drug being discovered over a century ago. This dynamic resembles Machinehood, where corporate interests dictate access to life-sustaining resources. When essential medicine becomes a profit-maximizing product, human life risks becoming secondary to shareholder value. Insulin

Gig Economy Labor: Disposable Workers in a Digital Machine

Companies like Uber and DoorDash have revolutionized work, but at a cost. Gig workers are often classified as independent contractors, meaning they lack benefits like healthcare, job security, or minimum wage protections. This mirrors the precarious labor conditions in cyberpunk fiction, where workers are easily replaceable and stripped of rights. The algorithm becomes the boss, opaque, unaccountable, and indifferent. In many ways, the gig economy turns people into extensions of a platform, much like the commodified humans in Blade Runner.

Are We Headed Toward Cyberpunk Reality?

The short answer: partially but not inevitably. Cyberpunk exaggerates for effect, but it is grounded in real trends. Corporate power today is enabled by several factors: Globalization: Corporations operate across borders, often outpacing national regulations. Technological complexity: Governments struggle to regulate rapidly evolving industries like AI. Economic influence: Lobbying and campaign financing allow corporations to shape policy decisions. However, there are still meaningful checks on corporate power. Governments can and do regulate industries; consider antitrust actions against Amazon and Apple. The European Union, in particular, has taken a more aggressive stance on privacy and competition through regulations like the GDPR. Public awareness also plays a critical role. Unlike in cyberpunk worlds, where resistance is often fragmented, today’s citizens, journalists, and researchers actively critique corporate behavior. This critique matters; it shapes public discourse, influences regulation, and holds power accountable.

Is This Uniquely American?

Not entirely, but it is more pronounced in the United States. The U.S. tends to favor market-driven solutions and has historically been more permissive of corporate consolidation. In contrast, European countries often prioritize consumer protection and data privacy. Meanwhile, countries like China exhibit a different model, where corporate power exists but is tightly integrated with state control, raising its own dystopian concerns.

Why Critique Still Matters

Cyberpunk is not just prediction, it’s warning. By exaggerating corporate dominance, it forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about power, inequality, and technology. We are not yet living in a Blade Runner world. Governments still exist. Rights still matter. But the growing influence of corporations over data, labor, and healthcare suggests that cyberpunk is less a fantasy and more a mirror, one that reflects what could happen if power goes unchecked. The future is not predetermined. Whether we move toward or away from a cyberpunk reality depends on regulation, public engagement, and our willingness to question who really holds power in society.

References

Zuboff, S. (2019). The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. U.S. Senate reports on insulin pricing (2021–2023). European Commission: GDPR and antitrust cases Academic and policy analyses on gig economy labor practices

Introduction Elon Musk’s xAI operation influences AI development control by constructing unprecedented computing infrastructure, bypassing regulatory oversight, and accelerating the pace of AI advancement beyond what public institutions can meaningfully regulate. Reporting shows that xAI is operating dozens of methane‑powered turbines, many without proper permits. While building Colossus, a supercomputer projected to be the largest in the world. This gives Musk enormous control over how quickly AI evolves and who can participate in the AI race.

Cyberpunk Comparison This dynamic mirrors the corporate dominance seen in Blade Runner. In the film, the Tyrell Corporation controls replicant production, a technology so advanced and essential that the government cannot regulate it effectively. Tyrell’s motto, “More human than human,” reflects a corporation whose technological ambition outpaces ethical oversight—much like what we see with Musk’s rapid expansion of compute capacity. xAI’s operation of unpermitted methane turbines, its overwhelming influence on local political structures, and its externalization of environmental harm all reinforce this comparison. Like Tyrell, xAI advances its technology at a pace that makes traditional regulation feel slow and outdated. Whoever controls the infrastructure controls the future; this is a form of de facto control.The parallels to Machinehood are equally striking. The pill funders in the novel drive technological acceleration at any cost, hiding the human and environmental consequences behind the promise of innovation. Their power comes not only from wealth but from their ability to dictate the terms of technological progress. The Memphis situation reflects this same logic: a predominantly Black neighborhood becomes a “sacrifice zone” so that xAI can power its AI models. Just as the pill funders obscure the true costs of their technology, xAI frames its project as cutting‑edge innovation while concealing the pollution, health risks, and regulatory violations that make that innovation possible.

Both fictional worlds show corporations gaining control over technological development by centralizing resources, evading oversight, and externalizing harm. xAI’s actions reflect the same logic. By consuming enough electricity to power 100,000 homes, the company consolidates AI development into the hands of a single billionaire. By operating turbines without proper permits, it demonstrates that AI progress can be pursued outside traditional regulatory frameworks. By placing the environmental burden on marginalized communities, it reinforces a cyberpunk pattern in which technological advancement is purchased at the expense of those with the least power. xAI influences AI development control in ways that closely resemble the megacorporations of Blade Runner and Machinehood—through scale, secrecy, political influence, and a willingness to treat human lives as collateral in the pursuit of technological dominance.All the evidence from Memphis suggests that the United States is already experiencing early forms of the corporate dominance depicted in cyberpunk fiction. When private corporations can run industrial‑scale infrastructure in residential neighborhoods—producing more nitrogen oxides than the city’s chemical plants, refineries, airport, and power station combined—they demonstrate a level of autonomy that resembles the megacorporations in these works. Cyberpunk’s warnings are not exaggerated fantasies but emerging realities. What is happening in Memphis shows how quickly technological ambition can outpace democratic oversight and how easily vulnerable communities can be sidelined in the process.

Sources Brabenec, R., et al. (2025, July 7). A billionaire, an AI supercomputer, toxic emissions and a Memphis community that did nothing wrong. Tennessee Lookout. https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/07/07/a-billionaire-an-ai-supercomputer-toxic-emissions-and-a-memphis-community-that-did-nothing-wrong/

AI Attestment AI was used to review the grammar and structure of this essay as well as provide an APA style citation for the source.

One of the main characteristics of societies in cyberpunk stories is that corporations are more powerful than the government. They control the world and the people based on their most important goal: profit. In these stories, money matters more than human lives, which is something to be scared of. The worst thing about that is to notice the similarities with real life. Nowadays, big technology companies have great power over individuals. Because they have access to massive amounts of data - such as what people browse, their location, what they buy - they can influence people’s decisions without them even noticing. This is clearly a form of control, and it brings us close to those societies we are so scared about – at least I am - from Cyberpunk stories.

What is really happening?

To make this clear, let’s bring some theory to the discussion. Shoshana Zuboff – American author and professor at Harvard Business School – created the term Surveillance Capitalism to explain how the control by big companies is established. It describes how companies collect people’s data and use it to: 1. Predict what they will do and 2. Influence their decisions. Zuboff explains that companies like Google and Facebook make money by collecting and using personal data (Zuboff, 2019), which means that instead of selling products, companies sell information about people.

The Cambridge Analytica Scandal

In the 2010s, Facebook was involved in the Cambridge Analytica Scandal, where millions of users had their personal data collected without their consent to create highly targeted political messages for campaigns during the 2016 election (Kozlowska, 2018). This episode exemplifies how corporations sell and use people’s data to influence their decisions and thoughts. It shows how powerful corporations have become in our society and how they can influence democratic processes, such as the elections. Additionally, the fact that a company can affect political outcomes like that challenges the government authority.

Are we heading toward Cyberpunk Societies?

Another perspective we can discuss about this situation is how most people are not aware about how much influence corporations have in our society. The truth is, many users put their personal information on websites, without even understanding the effect this can have. People make themselves vulnerable to manipulation simply by completing a survey or a questionnaire. Honestly, it’s like these big corporations see people as sources of data that can be used for profit or strategic purposes. And isn’t this the key idea in cyberpunk stories? Where people are treated less like individuals with their own identities and lives, but more like participants of a greater system of power and control moved by profit. I hate to admit it, but these societies are not fully fictional anymore.

The Tyrell Corporation in Blade Runner

The movie Blade Runner illustrates this situation really well. The Tyrell Corporation creates replicants and uses them to obtain profit, without even considering their humanity or rights. Similarly, Facebook uses people’s data as a resource, which suggests a priority of interests related to profit, rather than people’s rights of privacy, autonomy, and even society’s democracy. Thus, in both situations – fictional and real-life – individuals are treated as tools within a larger system controlled by a powerful corporation, indicating that our society is heading toward cyberpunk’s corporate dominance.

A Globalized Issue

The growth of corporate dominance is not just a problem in the United States. It is true that American companies tend to have more freedom and can operate within less strict rules, but other countries have been dealing with this situation as well. Countries in Europe, for example, have really strict laws about privacy to try to limit how corporations use personal data. Meanwhile, in China, corporate control is tied to the government, which means companies don’t have that much freedom to act. Therefore, even though corporate control and power is dealt differently across countries, it is noticeable that it’s a global issue enabled by technology and globalization. Because of that, it is extremely important to discuss about this in news, media, and in classes, so people are not oblivious to how their personal information is being used and how vulnerable their privacy is in a world moved, and perhaps controlled, by technology and profit.

Sources

Zuboff, S. (2019). The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the new frontier of power. PublicAffairs.

Kozlowska, I. (2018). Facebook and data privacy in the age of Cambridge Analytica. University of Washington. https://jsis.washington.edu/news/facebook-data-privacy-age-cambridge-analytica/

Scott, R. (Director). (1982). Blade Runner [Film]. Warner Bros.

The issues that we have been exploring all semester bring us to one central question. Are we heading faster to a future that seemed in the far distance? Will corporations dominate and deteriorate the world as we know it? And if so, how will we stop it? Not only does cyberpunk warn us about this future, but it may also be giving us solutions on how to stop it from happening. From the Tyrell Corporation in Blade Runner to the pill funders in Machinehood, we see the damage that large corporations can have on the function of our society as a whole. One of the biggest ways we see corporation domination is in the realm of privacy and surveillance capitalism, a space that may too soon be out of our control. When you use services such as Google and Facebook, there are agreements to the use of your data and personal information that you sign off on every time. In a book written about the current surveillance state, Shoshana Zubodf writes that the data gathered by these companies is used by other companies to predict and influence our behaviors (Kavenna, 2019). Though you may not be aware that you are allowing the use of your data by other companies, if you read the lengthy privacy statements that many just accept, you will find your acceptance to these rules. More corporations such as Tik Tok use algorithms to gather data, facial expressions, locations, and voiceprints to build profiles on who they think that you are and what you would like (10 Eye-Opening Examples of Surveillance Capitalism in Action - VOICES of CAPITALISM, 2025). Though we may like this because it shows us funny videos, what happens when the algorithm changes? In fact, after most of TikTok was bought by the U.S. the privacy policy changed to allow precise location data if you have your location services on (Lin, 2026). This comes at a time where ICE is being deployed in heavily immigrant populated areas and people are being killed by said ICE agents. It makes it that much scarier that there is a way to find your exact location just by trying to find entertainment through Tik Tok. Though not exactly the same, the ideas of constantly tracking and using our data to increase their ad revenue, track our locations, and push propaganda into our lives is reminiscent of the pill funders in Machinehood. In the novel, the pill funders are an amalgamation of all of the wealthy corporations and wealthy people who essentially control the world by making them reliant on their pills. In a similar way, there is a group of a few corporations that are controlling what we see, hear, and interact with through privacy policies. Because of this comparison, I am led to believe that we are not as far away from a cyberpunk corporation-controlled future as it seems. Specifically under the Trump presidency, we stray further and further away from a world where we have personal autonomy and closer to a world with heavy cyberpunk surveillance.

AI was not used in any form of creating this post. All words, thoughts, and plannings are from myself.

10 Eye-Opening Examples of Surveillance Capitalism in Action - VOICES OF CAPITALISM. (2025, October 3). Inside Political Science. https://voicesofcapitalism.com/surveillance-capitalism-examples/ Kavenna, J. (2019, October 4). Shoshana Zuboff: “Surveillance capitalism is an assault on human autonomy.” The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/oct/04/shoshana-zuboff-surveillance-capitalism-assault-human-automomy-digital-privacy Lin, P. (2026, January 27). Under U.S. Ownership, TikTok Poses an Even Greater Threat to Americans’ Privacy. Harvard.edu. https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/carr-ryan/our-work/carr-ryan-commentary/under-us-ownership-tiktok-poses-even-greater-threat

In classic cyberpunk works like Blade Runner, corporations like the Tyrell Corporation hold more power than governments, shaping not only economies but human identity itself. While this once seemed like dystopian fiction, the growing influence of modern tech companies, especially Microsoft, raises an unsettling question: are we already living in the early stages of a cyberpunk reality?

Microsoft is no longer just a software company; it is a global infrastructure provider. Through its Azure cloud platform, the company supplies digital services to governments, militaries, and public institutions worldwide. According to reporting from outlets like The New York Times and MIT Technology Review, cloud providers like Microsoft play a critical role in election security, data storage, and even cybersecurity for democratic systems. While this may seem beneficial, it also means that a private corporation is deeply embedded in the functioning of democracy itself.

This reflects a key cyberpunk theme: the outsourcing of public power to private entities. In Neuromancer, corporations operate beyond regulation, controlling information flows and shaping global systems. Similarly, Microsoft’s influence over cloud infrastructure gives it a form of “soft power” that governments increasingly rely on. If a corporation controls the systems that store voter data, secure elections, or manage public communication platforms, the line between public governance and corporate control begins to blur.

Another major concern is artificial intelligence. Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI and its integration of AI into products like Copilot further expands its influence over how information is generated, distributed, and consumed. AI systems shape what people see, how they understand political issues, and even how they engage with democratic processes. This introduces the idea of algorithmic influence, where decisions that affect millions are guided not by elected officials, but by corporate-designed systems.

However, it is important not to overstate the case. Unlike in cyberpunk fiction, corporations like Microsoft still operate within legal frameworks and are subject to government regulation. Laws regarding data privacy, antitrust enforcement, and AI governance act as checks on corporate power. Additionally, democratic societies still retain the ability to challenge corporations through public pressure, legislation, and activism.

At the same time, this is not just an American issue. Globally, countries interact with tech corporations differently. In the European Union, stricter regulations like the GDPR aim to limit corporate data control. In contrast, other regions may rely more heavily on corporate infrastructure due to limited state resources. This variation highlights how corporate power is shaped by political and cultural contexts, not just technological capability.

So, are we heading toward cyberpunk’s corporate dominance? The answer is complicated. Cyberpunk may exaggerate reality, but it also serves as a warning. The increasing reliance on companies like Microsoft suggests that we are moving toward a world where corporations play a central role in shaping democratic systems. However, the future is not fixed. The presence of regulatory frameworks, public accountability, and global diversity in governance means that this trajectory is still being negotiated.

Ultimately, cyberpunk is less a prediction and more a critique. It forces us to question who holds power and how that power is used. As technology continues to evolve, maintaining a balance between innovation and democratic control will be essential. Otherwise, the line between fiction and reality may become thinner than we expect.

Cyberpunk has always asked a disturbing question: what happens when corporations become so powerful that they begin functioning like governments, but without the accountability of governments? In fiction, corporations like Tyrell in Blade Runner and Tessier-Ashpool SA in Neuromancer control technology, labor, and even human life. Similarly, in S. B. Divya’s Machinehood, corporations profit from systems that push workers to their physical and mental limits while treating them as expendable. While these worlds may seem exaggerated, real-world corporations especially Amazon, show that these concerns are not purely fictional.

Amazon’s scale alone reflects a level of influence that resembles cyberpunk megacorporations. According to its 2024 annual report, Amazon generated $638 billion in net sales, with Amazon Web Services (AWS) contributing over $107 billion, positioning the company not just as a retailer but as a major piece of global digital infrastructure (Amazon, 2025). This matters because AWS supports governments, businesses, and online systems worldwide. When a corporation controls both commerce and infrastructure, its power begins to extend beyond traditional business influence into something more systemic. Similar to the corporations in cyberpunk that shape everyday life itself.

However, the strongest cyberpunk parallel lies in labor practices. A 2024 investigation by the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee found that Amazon warehouse workers experienced injury rates over 30% higher than the industry average, largely due to intense productivity quotas and algorithmic management systems (U.S. Senate HELP Committee, 2024). These findings suggest that workers are often treated as units of efficiency rather than individuals with physical limits. This mirrors Machinehood, where corporations design systems that extract maximum output from workers regardless of long-term consequences. While Amazon does not literally require performance-enhancing drugs, the pressure to maintain productivity at all costs reflects a similar mindset: the body becomes secondary to output.

Environmental practices also reinforce the cyberpunk comparison. Amazon’s 2024 Sustainability Report states that while the company reduced its carbon intensity by 4%, its total carbon emissions still increased by 6% due to continued growth (Amazon, 2024). This contradiction highlights a common corporate pattern, as efficiency improves expanding environmental impact is paired with it. Cyberpunk fiction frequently portrays corporations presenting themselves as innovative and forward-thinking while contributing to environmental degradation in the background. Amazon’s own data reflects this tension between sustainability messaging and the realities of scale.

So, are we actually heading toward cyberpunk-style corporate dominance? In some ways, yes but not entirely. Cyberpunk should be understood less as a literal prediction and more as an exaggerated critique that helps us recognize real-world trends. Governments still regulate corporations, and democratic systems still exist. However, corporations like Amazon have gained enough influence to shape labor conditions, technological infrastructure, and environmental outcomes in ways that feel comparable to the early stages of cyberpunk worlds.

This issue is not entirely global in the same way. The United States tends to allow larger concentrations of corporate power compared to other regions. For example, the European Union has taken a more aggressive regulatory approach by labeling companies like Amazon as “gatekeepers” under the Digital Markets Act, recognizing their control over digital markets (European Commission, 2023). This suggests that corporate dominance is not inevitable but is influenced by political and cultural choices about regulation.

There are also real-world checks on corporate power. California’s warehouse quota law (AB 701) limits the use of productivity quotas that interfere with worker safety and basic rights, and in 2024, regulators fined Amazon nearly $6 million under this law (California Department of Industrial Relations, 2024). These actions show that intervention is possible. However, they also highlight an important point: regulation often comes after harm has already occurred, rather than preventing it from happening in the first place.

This is where cyberpunk plays an important role. It is not just entertainment, it is a warning. Cyberpunk encourages us to question systems that prioritize efficiency over humanity, growth over sustainability, and profit over well-being. It pushes us to recognize when corporations begin to act less like businesses and more like governing forces in society.

Amazon is not a cyberpunk megacorporation in the literal sense. But it reflects many of the same patterns: massive influence, reliance on human labor as a resource, and the ability to shape everyday life on a global scale. Cyberpunk remains relevant because it reveals what can happen when these patterns go unchecked. Whether that future becomes reality depends not just on corporations, but on how society chooses to respond.

AI Statement

I used AI as a support tool to help organize my ideas, refine the structure of my blog post, and ensure clarity in my writing.

References

Amazon. (2024). Amazon Sustainability Report 2024. https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com/2024-report

Amazon. (2025). Amazon 2024 Annual Report. https://s2.q4cdn.com/299287126/files/doc_financials/2025/ar/Amazon-2024-Annual-Report.pdf

California Department of Industrial Relations. (2024). Warehouse quotas (AB 701). https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/FAQ_warehousequotas.htm

European Commission. (2023). Digital Markets Act: Gatekeepers. https://digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/gatekeepers-portal_en

U.S. Senate HELP Committee. (2024). The Amazon investigation report. https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/amazon_investigation.pdf

When Corporations Outgrow Governments: Are We Living in a Cyberpunk Prelude?

Cyberpunk has always imagined a world where corporations eclipse governments, turning human lives into resources to be optimized and exploited. From the Tyrell Corporation in Blade Runner to the profit-driven pill funders in Machinehood, these narratives feel less like distant fiction and more like distorted reflections of our present reality. The question is no longer whether cyberpunk is going to be a reality; it’s whether we are already living in its early stages. One of the clearest real-world parallels to cyberpunk corporate dominance can be found in the rise of the gig economy, led by companies like Uber. Uber has transformed labor by redefining workers as “independent contractors,” allowing the company to avoid providing benefits such as healthcare, job security, and minimum wage guarantees. According to a 2021 report by the Economic Policy Institute, gig workers often earn less than traditional employees after accounting for expenses like gas and vehicle maintenance. This mirrors the labor dynamics in Sleep Dealer, where workers are reduced to remote-controlled bodies, valued only for their productivity and easily replaceable. Similarly, pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer demonstrate how corporate power can shape life-and-death outcomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, debates over vaccine patents highlighted how intellectual property laws can restrict access to life-saving medicine, particularly in lower-income countries. While Pfizer argued that patents were necessary to fund innovation, critics like Doctors Without Borders argued that these protections prioritized profit over global health equity. This echoes Machinehood, where access to performance enhancing drugs determines survival in a hyper competitive economy. In both cases, corporations exert control over the conditions of life itself. Another striking example is surveillance capitalism, practiced by tech giants like Google. Google collects vast amounts of user data to refine advertising algorithms, effectively turning personal behavior into a commodity. Scholar Shoshana Zuboff describes this as a system where human experience is “raw material” for profit. This concept aligns closely with cyberpunk’s recurring theme of commodified identity, where even thoughts and behaviors are no longer private but monetized assets. So, are we heading toward full cyberpunk-style corporate dominance? The answer is complicated. On one hand, corporations today wield unprecedented influence over economies, labor systems, and even political processes. Tech companies lobby governments, shape public discourse, and influence elections through control of information platforms. However, it would be an oversimplification to claim that dystopia is inevitable. Unlike in many cyberpunk worlds, modern societies still maintain democratic institutions that can check corporate power. For example, the European Union has implemented strict data protection laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which limits how companies can collect and use personal data. In the United States, antitrust discussions surrounding companies like Google and Amazon indicate growing awareness of corporate overreach. Cultural perspectives also play a crucial role in shaping responses to corporate power. In the United States, corporate influence is often normalized under free-market ideals, whereas in other regions, such as parts of Europe, there is stronger resistance to corporate control. This suggests that cyberpunk’s dystopia is not a universal destiny but a possibility shaped by cultural values and political choices. Ultimately, cyberpunk serves less as a prediction and more as a warning. It exaggerates current trends to reveal the consequences of unchecked corporate power. If cyberpunk teaches us anything, it is that the future is not predetermined. Corporations may be growing stronger, but so too is our awareness of their influence. Whether we move toward a cyberpunk reality or away from it depends on how we respond today.

AI was used to gather research sources for this Blog Post

Works Cited

Economic Policy Institute. Uber and the Labor Market: How the Gig Economy Affects Workers. Economic Policy Institute, 2021, https://www.epi.org .

Khan, Lina M. “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox.” Yale Law Journal, vol. 126, no. 3, 2017, pp. 710–805.

Kim, Jerome H. “Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine: Global Access and Equity Issues.” The Lancet, 2021.

Médecins Sans Frontières. A Waiver for COVID-19 Patents to Increase Global Access. Doctors Without Borders, 2021, https://www.msf.org .

Rosenblat, Alex. Uberland: How Algorithms Are Rewriting the Rules of Work. University of California Press, 2018.

Zuboff, Shoshana. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. PublicAffairs, 2019.

European Union. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 2018, https://gdpr.eu

Cyberpunk stories have always imagined a world where corporations hold more power than governments, treating people as expendable and prioritizing profit above all else. For a long time, that idea felt exaggerated, more style than reality. But looking at what’s happening today, it’s harder to ignore the similarities. From tech companies shaping political conversations to rising drug prices and unstable gig work, parts of our world are starting to look a lot like the systems cyberpunk warned us about.

One of the most obvious examples is the influence of major tech companies on public opinion and democracy. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X don’t just host content, they control what people see through algorithms. These systems decide which posts get attention and which ones disappear, often based on what will keep users engaged the longest. That means controversial or emotionally charged content tends to spread faster, even if it isn’t accurate. In a way, this reflects what we see in Blade Runner, where powerful corporations shape people’s understanding of reality itself. The control isn’t always obvious, but it’s there, quietly influencing how people think and what they believe.

Another area where corporate power shows up is in the pharmaceutical industry. The cost of essential medications in the United States, especially insulin, has been widely criticized. Many people depend on these drugs to survive, yet prices can be extremely high compared to other countries. This raises serious ethical questions. When a company controls access to something people need to live, profit becomes more than just a business goal, it becomes a matter of life and death. That kind of dynamic feels very similar to what we see in Machinehood, where human needs are often secondary to maintaining systems that benefit those in control.

The gig economy is another example that lines up with cyberpunk themes. Companies like Uber and DoorDash have created flexible work opportunities, but they have also introduced a new kind of instability. Workers are classified as independent contractors, which means they usually don’t receive benefits like healthcare, paid time off, or job security. Instead of a traditional boss, they answer to an app, an algorithm that tracks performance, assigns jobs, and can deactivate them at any time. This setup mirrors the kind of disposable labor we see in Neuromancer, where individuals exist on the edges of powerful systems and have little protection.

At the same time, it would be an exaggeration to say we are fully living in a cyberpunk world. Governments still have power, and in some cases, they do step in to regulate corporations. For example, stricter data privacy laws in parts of Europe show that it is possible to limit how much control companies have over personal information. Public pressure also matters. When people speak out through protests, social media, or voting, it can push companies to change their practices.

It is also important to recognize that this is not just an American issue, even if it is especially visible here. Different countries handle corporate power in different ways. Some governments keep tighter control over businesses, while others allow more freedom. That means the future is not set in stone, it depends on the choices societies make and the systems they put in place.

So why do corporations have so much influence right now? A big part of it comes down to globalization and technology. Companies can operate across borders, making it harder for any single government to regulate them. At the same time, people rely heavily on the services these companies provide, whether it is social media, transportation, or online shopping. That dependence gives corporations even more leverage. What cyberpunk stories get right is not just the presence of powerful corporations, but the warning behind it. These stories push us to question who holds power and how it is used. They remind us that systems can change and that people have a role in that change. We are not stuck in a dystopia, but we are close enough to see how it could happen.

In the end, the real question is not whether cyberpunk was right. It is whether we are paying attention.

“First, do no harm.” This principle, rooted in the Hippocratic Oath, is meant to guide healthcare toward prioritizing patient well being above all else. Yet, the reality of modern healthcare raises an unsettling question: is access to life-saving treatment truly placed above profit? While world leaders and policymakers play a role in shaping healthcare systems, cyberpunk literature reminds us that corporations can grow powerful enough to rival or even surpass government influence. When medications are no longer simply products but lifelines, the question becomes unavoidable: who truly controls access to survival?

Our past studies

This concern connects closely to themes explored in Blade Runner, Neuromancer, and Machinehood. In Blade Runner, we encounter a dystopian world shaped by advanced technology and corporate dominance over human life. Similarly, Neuromancer follows Case, a character who escapes into cyberspace, reflecting a society where corporate systems blur the line between reality and control. Machinehood further develops this idea by presenting a future where corporations dominate technological systems and labor structures.

A real world corporation that mirrors these cyberpunk themes is Walmart. Once a family-owned business, Walmart has grown into a global powerhouse, symbolizing the shift from small scale enterprise to massive corporate influence much like the towering, neon-lit corporations seen in cyberpunk worlds.

Save Money. Live Better

Walmart's business is built on offering consistently low prices, but often depends on minimizing labor costs. Reports from SHRM Walmart, which has roughly 1.6 million U.S employees, has lowered starting pay for new hires who prepare online orders. While Walmart is known to offer lower prices, this now seems as though is competing with other chain markets. Due to the increase low paid retail workers are now turning to governmental assistances just to make ends meet.

At the same time, Walmart’s expansion into services like pharmacies illustrates another layer of corporate control. These systems require strict hiring processes, including background checks and drug testing, reinforcing a highly regulated and controlled workforce. In this sense, Walmart parallels Machinehood, where corporate systems dictate not only economic conditions but also access to opportunities and services.

In Neuromancer, the idea of Walmart's mission reflects corporations control. For instance, cost of foods, deliveries, service, shipping etc. For this reason also requires an immense number of staff to extend in varies parts of the departments.

Walmart at every poverty neighborhood

Cyberpunk often imagines a future dominated by corporations and advanced technology, yet Walmart demonstrates that elements of this future already exist. Its presence in many low-income and underserved communities makes it both a vital resource and a symbol of economic dependence. While it provides affordability and accessibility, it also reinforces a system where large corporations hold significant power over local economies. Ultimately, Walmart represents a blend of two worlds: the dystopian future envisioned in cyberpunk and the reality we are living in today. Its global reach, influence over labor, and control of essential goods suggest that corporate dominance is not just a fictional warning but an evolving reality not only for workers, but as consumers as well.

AI was used to fix original thoughts https://chatgpt.com/share/69c882eb-d2d8-8329-ac35-3d87705275b1.

https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/benefits-compensation/walmart-lowering-starting-pay-will-employers-follow

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/walmart-rolls-surprising-change-every-013700065.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/01/14/walmart-new-logo-redesign/77689947007/