First coined in 1956, AI has evolved over the past seven decades and been integrated into ever more parts of our daily lives. As new developments accelerate, we must address the question of how to balance the harm these systems pose against the benefits they can bring.
One particular area for concern is the impact on our democratic processes. Decades of peace and reasonably well-functioning democratic institutions in Europe may have made us forget that it takes constant care and effort to nourish, defend, and protect democracy. The war in Ukraine and the rise of anti-democratic practices in some east-central European countries are stark reminders that democracy is not a given.
If left unchecked I believe AI could call into question the social contract between governments and their citizens ̶ an unwritten agreement, posited by the 18th-century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, where citizens surrender some of their individual freedoms in exchange for protection and security provided by the state.