Democracy in the Age of Generative AI
Navigating Risks and Harnessing Opportunities
Democratic societies are no stranger to change. Throughout history, democracies have evolved in response to a diverse set of social, political, and economic factors time and again. Still, there are moments in history when democratic societies face a significant rate of, and pressure for, change. The rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in late 2022 has seemingly introduced one of those moments, promising a transformation for how society and government operate that many have compared to the transformations brought about by the advent of the internet.
As with many technological advancements in the past, governments and civil society can struggle to understand, anticipate, and minimize the harms and maximize the benefits of digital innovations on democratic societies. To avoid a repeat of past mistakes, the Technology and Democracy Practice at the International Republican Institute (IRI) launched a program in the summer of 2023 to respond to partners’ demands about preparing for current and potential impacts caused by GenAI. Many of IRI’s partners, particularly governments and civil society actors, struggle to keep pace with technological
innovations, often failing to leverage new tools for the benefit of democracy and struggling to proactively advocate or regulate against their harms. This is especially concerning as these two stakeholder groups are key to the effective functioning of democracies. IRI’s partners—most often in this case civil society and decision-makers, including elected officials and policymakers—have increasingly recognized the need to upskill themselves on this topic to ensure democracies remain nimble, modern, and effective in the digital age.
This intentional upskilling is especially acute to make sure actors in the Global South are not left behind. This white paper intends to help fill knowledge gaps and support IRI partners in better understanding this innovation, providing analysis of the risks, challenges, and opportunities for GenAI and democracy for lower-capacity government and civil society stakeholders in the Global North and Global South. The white paper provides an overview written to introduce and define
GenAI, including an analysis of key threats and risks that GenAI poses to democracy, and a summary of opportunities for civil society and policymakers to leverage it for good.
This white paper intends to help fill knowledge gaps and support IRI partners in better understanding generative AI, providing analysis of the risks, challenges and opportunities for GenAI and democracy for lower-capacity government and civil society stakeholders around the world.
The white paper also includes a chapter on recommendations for civil society, policymakers, and industry to ensure GenAI works for, rather than against, democracy. The final chapter of the white paper focuses on the near-term impacts of GenAI, offering readers a chance to consider possible future impacts. It is important to keep in mind that findings in the white paper are generalized to be broadly applicable to diverse global contexts, and that the threats, opportunities, and recommendations may vary depending on these factors.
This white paper is the culmination of an extensive landscape analysis and interview series, followed by a six-month-long working group that regularly convened over 20 experts – including representatives from civil society, academia, industry, and policy – to discuss existing and potential impacts GenAI will have on democracies, with a particular focus on trends in the Global South.
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