Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping democratic processes and the spaces where public opinion takes form. Accused of influencing minds and elections, spreading disinformation, and enabling surveillance, AI often finds itself at the center of controversy. But what is the reality behind these claims? What harms can genuinely be attributed to AI? What level of autonomy and responsibility should it hold in our democracies? More broadly, what risks are we prepared to accept in the name of innovation and progress? Ultimately, these questions force us to confront a deeper one: What kind of society do we want for the future?

On November 22, a fictitious trial of AI was staged in Zurich as part of theAgoraproject Stories of the Future, supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation. The project aims to foster knowledge and literacy about AI in Switzerland, particularly among young people. To date, nearly 150 workshops have been held in schools across the country. Another trial had taken place in Geneva during Democracy Week.

During the trial, the prosecution and defense presented their arguments, supported by experts in machine learning and AI ethics. Their case rested on documents shared in advance, including an indictment, a defense brief, and the judge’s questions to the jury. The audience, acting as the jury, weighed the evidence and arguments to decide whether AI should ultimately be convicted or acquitted—and, crucially, why.