From Distrust to Weapon: Reclaiming AI for Democracy

AI is reshaping democracy, as both a threat and an opportunity. Join our panel exploring how to steer it, not just regulate it.
About this Event

Artificial intelligence is becoming both a threat to democracy and a powerful opportunity to strengthen it.

Deepfakes of politicians, personalized disinformation, and election microtargeting are making it harder for citizens to know what and whom to trust. At the same time, AI could make democratic decision making more transparent, accessible, and inclusive.

So the question is no longer whether AI will affect democracy, but how we choose to shape its impact. Should we wait for legislation to catch up, or start experimenting responsibly now, with the right safeguards built in from the start?

This panel discussion is inspired by "Keeping Democracy in the Race: How emerging technologies can strengthen citizen participation in democratic decision making", a research report by the reasearch platform Charge. The report explores how AI and other emerging technologies can lower barriers to participation, help structure public discussions, and make decision making processes more transparent. It also makes a clear case for action: waiting for regulation to be fully in place before experimenting is neither realistic nor desirable. Innovation and safeguards need to develop alongside each other.

Join us on 14 October at De Balie in Amsterdam for an evening of conversation, critical reflection, and practical perspectives, followed by a drinks reception.

📍 De Balie, Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10, Amsterdam (around 15 minutes by tram from Amsterdam Central Station)

🗓️ 14 October, 19:30–21:00 panel - followed by a drinks reception till 23:00

🗣️ English