"No more evil than the person who wields it" I would like to add that AI is FAR more than the sum of its inputs. From what I know, it's totally capable of jumping to conclusions and self-modifying out any safeguards. That makes it capable of much, much more evil than any tool I know of. True, you can use a knife without cutting yourself if you're careful, but what if the knife was self-aware and decided that you were redundant?
To use a phrase from an old cartoon, "I wouldn't touch you with a 99 1/2 foot pole."
Besides that, I don't believe that machines are capable of their own reasoning. Take that how you will.
Totally agree on the sad state of industry and politics, but AI isn't the problem there, just a sign.