New Debates on the Future of Democracy: from the impact of Artificial Intelligence to the Urgent Need for Culture-Comprehensive Institutionalization
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has captivated the audience's imagination in recent years. The introduction of commercially available tools like Chat GPT has given a face to a concept that for years remained out of tangible reach for citizens. The ability to generate text, images, and videos has a wide range of ethical debates surrounding their use, starting from the sources used to train such AI-powered software all the way to the applications that users can give to these outputs. Outside of this popular use, AI has also been applied to industry, logistics, policymaking, law, healthcare, and many other areas. Still, its terminological use is sometimes regarded as shallow, and some complain that the high publicity that generative text has gained has actually been detrimental to public perception of this technology, turning AI into a buzzword deprived of general understanding. Despite differences of opinion concerning AI's ultimate impact, there seems to be agreement on the need to discuss the advantages, threats, and potential consequences of the intersection between democracy and Artificial Intelligence.
In this piece, we explore these dynamics through a series of academic papers that were part of the European Union (EU) Values’ conference: “Promoting Democracy and the Rule of Law – Global Perspectives” held in Santiago de Chile from December 4th to 6th, 2024. Although not all these papers directly refer to the impact of Artificial Intelligence on political processes, they do refer to the need for profound transformations liberal democracies need to face in a turbulent international environment subjected to the pressures of technological change. In this context, this blog post attempts to both summarize and provide concise insights into the ideas presented by the panelists.
Several important takeaways emerge from these articles. First, despite the epistemological and deontological differences in their approaches toward the future of democracy, they show cohesiveness around the need to explore the impact of technology on International Relations, Political Science, and other research areas that might not be directly connected to the development of technology. Secondly, they present different angles on how change is needed in research and policy-making processes, not only in AI-related advancements. Thirdly, they present both optimistic and critical views on the potential use of technology in governance and insights into the challenges and possible answers to these puzzles. By summarizing and exploring these proposals, this piece hopes to bring new perspectives to the reader on a rapidly changing issue and to help broaden the reach of consistent and valuable research in the area.
Context-sensitive Democratization in a Changing World
Democracy is in a fragile situation. Despite the intense promotion of free and open elections, on top of the fact that democracy is a system that expects to protect the civil rights of citizens and control power through checks and balances, countries around the world seem to be devolving into hybrid regimes and even authoritarian powers.
In his paper, “Rethinking Democracy Promotion in the Pluriverse” Dominik Rehbaum addresses a crucial challenge in the realm of international relations: how to effectively expand democracy while respecting the diverse cultural, political, and epistemic contexts of countries. Rehbaum, a PhD researcher at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence with experience in several public and policy-related organizations, criticizes the traditional Western-centric model of democracy promotion, which often imposes liberal democratic ideals without sufficient regard for local knowledge and practices. He argues that anti-western sentiments are a hindering factor in achieving sustainable and long-term institutional changes while recognizing democracy as a universal value-preserving model. In that context, he poses the question: To what extent can democracy be promoted through foreign policy without relying on universalist principles, and how can frameworks be developed that accommodate a plurality of epistemic traditions?
In contrast to existing democratization and democratic promotion experiences, the author’s argument advocates for a "pluriverse" approach. That is, one that acknowledges multiple forms of democracy and centers the agency of local actors in recipient countries. Under the author’s assumptions, said approach would improve the reception of institutional transformation within novel democracies and governments in transition.
This framework could reshape how democracy is promoted globally, ensuring that the democratic ideals promoted are inclusive and contextually relevant. By drawing on empirical examples from the EU's democracy promotion in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, Rehbaum highlights how existing global power imbalances in knowledge production may be addressed through a more inclusive and epistemically just approach to democracy promotion. In other words, countries that advocate for the consolidation and expansion of democracy need to establish deeper links with the culture and nuances of the target democracy-promoting campaigns.
Although this paper is evidently not directly related to the expansion and promotion of Artificial Intelligence, the author does establish the dichotomy of a traditional and largely Westernized idea of democracy with the need to consider what is outside of the generalist view. Moreover, any modern change in approach to democratization will need to consider how to utilize or minimize AI's impact in their political processes. This theoretical shift is crucial when considering the implications of AI on democratic processes. AI systems, often shaped by the values of the countries or corporations that develop them, can reinforce global inequalities and undermine local democratic agencies.
The Threat of Artificial Intelligence to Democratic Governance
2024 was greatly defined by elections happening every month and in every corner of the world, from Taiwan’s results triggering tensions with the PRC to the awaited American polarized polls going through the European Parliament and the populous Indian democracy. With the uncertainty that these processes foster and the rapid changes in technologies, concerns surrounding the impact of phenomena such as disinformation and manipulation of public sentiment were rampant in the debates surrounding these nationwide events. Although Artificial Intelligence’s impact on the results of direct democratic processes is still up for debate, the reach and power of these tools are likely to escalate at an exponential rate, allowing users to use them in creative but in many cases nefarious ways.
The paper “An Exploration of the Impact of AI on Democratic Principles and Governance” by Abhishek Sharma Padmanabhan, Assistant Professor of Law at the School of Law, JAIN (Deemed to be University), and K. V. K. Santhy, Associate Professor of Criminal Law at NALSAR University of Law, raises critical concerns about the potential dangers AI poses to democratic systems.
Their research focuses on the subtle ways AI can undermine democratic principles such as fairness, equality before the law, and the integrity of elections. As seen in various global contexts, AI has already proven capable of destabilizing democracies by manipulating public opinion and spreading misinformation.
Padmanabhan and Santhy argue that the existing legal frameworks are ill-equipped to address the unique challenges posed by AI. They emphasize the need for AI-specific legislation that balances regulation with innovation, ensuring that AI can contribute positively to society without eroding trust in democratic institutions. The growing use of AI in political campaigns, where it can be employed to manipulate voter behavior or spread divisive content, represents a direct threat to the integrity of democratic processes. The authors call for greater oversight and accountability in AI development, particularly to prevent its misuse by political actors and corporations with vested interests.
The erosion of trust in democratic institutions, exacerbated by AI-driven disinformation campaigns, might undermine democratic legitimacy and the capacity of citizens to engage meaningfully in democratic outputs. As the paper explores, political processes require time for change and adaptability. In this context, institutions might not be promptly able to tackle the transformations pushed by digitalization and Artificial Intelligence to democracies across the world.
Following the same line of thought, the paper “The Election Year ‘2024’: Navigating the Democracy Along with AI” by Vaibhav Gaur from the Progressive Constitutional Law Society at the Hidayatullah National Law University in India, examines the role of AI in the political landscape of 2024, a year marked–as mentioned before–by these significant global elections and the continued development of AI technologies. This analysis reflects on the dual role of AI in elections: as a tool that can enhance democratic processes by improving voter engagement and government transparency, and as a potential disruptor, capable of spreading misinformation, manipulating public opinion, and violating privacy.
The author argues that the regulatory framework for AI must evolve to address these concerns, as current laws are insufficient to deal with the complexities of AI’s impact on democracy. The paper calls for international collaboration on AI regulation, ensuring that democratic values such as fairness, transparency, and accountability are embedded in the design and use of AI technologies. Additionally, the paper emphasizes the need to tackle the biases inherent in AI systems, which can disproportionately affect marginalized groups and undermine the fairness of elections.
A Constructive Approach to AI and Institutional Transformations
However, there are also some optimistic views on the introduction of AI into political processes. In response to these challenges, the paper “Construyendo la esfera digital del mañana” in Spanish or “Building Tomorrow’s Digital Sphere” by Darío García de Viedma explores the proactive role that AI can play in strengthening democracy. García de Viedma is an Associate Director at the Center for the Governance of Change at IE University, where they conduct research, executive training and outreach at the intersection of emerging technologies and governance. In his paper, he refers on the Internet as an environment that will be dramatically changed by new advances in AI. He emphasizes the collaborative potential of these tools to boost democratic outputs.
Contrary to more critical views, he presents a vision of a future digital ecosystem in which AI is used not only to improve governance but to reinforce democratic values such as transparency, participation, and accountability. He argues that AI should be directed in ways that promote authentic democratic engagement, such as through the development of AI tools that facilitate citizen participation, enhance legislative processes, and ensure cybersecurity in elections.
Again, the paper–the result of deep and meticulous analysis–suggests that AI should be treated as a collaborative resource, with different societal actors—governments, corporations, academic institutions, and citizens—working together to shape a digital sphere that prioritizes the common good. García de Viedma advocates for a holistic, multi-stakeholder approach to AI governance, emphasizing the need for ethical education in AI development, transparent regulatory frameworks, and the creation of tools that empower citizens. His vision offers a way forward where AI is not seen as an existential threat to democracy but as a potential ally in the fight to preserve and enhance democratic values in a digital world.
Conclusion: Charting a Democratic Path Forward in the Age of AI
The influence and potential use of AI in political processes and democracy have proven to captivate the attention of the public, decision-makers, activists, and researchers due to the projected impact these tools will have on democratic outcomes as they improve and become more powerful. Therefore, the application of AI in democratic spaces requires careful consideration of both the potential benefits and the risks. On one hand, AI offers powerful tools for improving governance, enhancing citizen engagement, and supporting democratic values. On the other hand, its ability to manipulate public opinion, infringe upon privacy, and destabilize democratic institutions presents serious challenges.
As highlighted in the papers discussed, these discussions are overdue because of the rapid and decentralized speed at which these technologies advance. The key to navigating this intersection lies in creating regulatory frameworks that are technically sound and ethically grounded in democratic principles. This includes developing AI systems that are transparent, accountable, and fair and ensuring that democratic governance itself is resilient enough to adapt to the challenges posed by AI. Ultimately, the future of democracy in an AI-driven world will depend on the collaborative efforts of governments, technology developers, academics, and citizens.
Liberal democracies need to adapt to incorporate the nuances and consider the challenges of a rapidly changing world. Future research on elections, democratization, and processes will need to take into account the state-of-the-art state of AI, and the uses that are being given to these tools in the context of value-promotion and policy, but also the alternative ways in which the same innovation can be derailed into nefarious uses by individuals and organizations seeking to disrupt institutions and democracy around the world.
Sascha Hannig is a Chilean international analyst with experience as a financial reporter. She currently consults for several international organizations, is the Executive Secretary at the recently founded Centro de Análisis para la Democracia, Chile (CAD Chile), and supports the Institute for Global Governance Research (GGR) at Hitotsubashi University as a Research Assistant. Her main fields of study are China’s global influence and the implications of science and technology in society. Hannig is a Ph.D. Student at the same institution as a JICA Scholar for the SDG Global Leaders program. In addition to her academic interests, she is a published fiction novelist with six novels under her name. Her most recent work: "Technology Transfer to Latin American Countries Drifting Away from the United States and China?" is scheduled to be published by Routledge on March 14, 2025.
You can find out more and follow Sascha on Instagram, LinkedIn and check out her novels on GoodReads.
The opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of EU-VALUES Network.