AI and Political Freedom: The Risk to Democracy and How to Respond

American democracy is under increasing pressure, as the institutions we once thought were stable look fragile. At the same time, artificial intelligence has come to dominate a large part of our digital lives, with huge implications on the ground. In his book “Artificial Intelligence and Political Freedom,” Matthew Botvinick examines the interaction of AI with democracy, exploring how AI is likely to challenge democracy as we advance ​​into the 21st century.Botvinnik, an expert in both democratic theory and artificial intelligence technology, sees the outlook as dangerous. AI is poised to destabilize our democratic institutions, attack them at their weakest points, and provide an effective tool for autocratic leaders. However, despite the potential threat posed by the collision of artificial intelligence and democracy, Potvenik argues that there are ways to protect our political freedom.Concerns about our democratic backsliding have emerged as public attention has shifted to the safety of AI, Botvinnik notes. Concerns about the spread of deepfakes and disinformation generated by AI, as well as the growing political influence of tech companies, have become widespread, but have rarely been associated with the deterioration of democratic institutions. Botvinnik connects these two, taking into account the potential impacts of AI on our policies.Mass unemployment caused by technological advances leads to acceptance of authoritarian calls; security crises may allow governments to abuse emergency powers; and the use of artificial intelligence in intelligence work risks politicizing surveillance. To stop the retreat from democratic values, Botvinnik argues that we must strengthen our democratic institutions and, ultimately, reimagine how democracy works, building richer and more interactive forms of citizen participation.