Why? Every day the rest of the world make confident extreme claims that AI/advanced technology/STEM will improve the world with zero evidence either, and no one ever challenges those. In fact, everyone just jumps on the happy "tech is the best" bandwagon with nary a thought. If you think I'm making extreme claims, go look at the one-sided only positive view of technology being espoused by everyone else.
On the other hand, technology has brought us to the brink of a climate disaster and a screwed up society (just look at how much research there is for the damaging effects of social media).