AI and Democracy: A Human Problem

While fear of the potential for generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create and spread misinformation for the purpose of disrupting modern representative democracy is understandable, such apprehension may be exaggerated or even unwarranted. There already exists structural issues corrupting the relationship between citizens and representatives, and concerns that the populace may be easily manipulated by AI-generated misinformation demonstrates a lack of confidence in both the democratic process and citizens’ intellect. As with any tool, generative AI can be misused or abused, and citizens, rather than the AI developer, are ultimately responsible for conducting their own research and educating themselves on political and social matters.