Exploring AI and Democracy: Four Key Events Driving Innovation in Civic Participation
16, October, 2024
As artificial intelligence (AI) and big data continue to reshape our world, the KT4D project addresses the emerging tensions between these technologies and democratic processes. In an era where technology holds immense power, the project seeks to ensure that civic participation and democratic principles are upheld in the face of rapid innovation. Central to this effort is the recognition that the cultural context of each community plays a crucial role in shaping how AI impacts democracy as highlighted by one of the KT4D policy brief entitled: Culture's Role in Navigating Technological Change.
The KT4D project aims to foster a responsible integration of AI into democratic systems by centering its research around four distinct use cases. Each case study is hosted in a different city, allowing the project to engage stakeholders—ranging from policymakers and civil society organisations (CSOs) to citizens and software developers—in different cultural settings. This user-centric, participatory approach ensures that the project’s findings are relevant to a variety of social, cultural, and linguistic contexts, providing a comprehensive understanding of how AI can support democracy while safeguarding civic participation. Let’s give a closer look at the Use Cases:
- Brussels: Focuses on engaging core stakeholders to explore central questions surrounding AI governance, emerging priorities, and how European policymakers can regulate AI democratically.
- Madrid and Warsaw: These use cases adopt a qualitative approach to understanding citizens’ concerns and fears related to knowledge technologies, developing educational materials and games to enhance digital literacy and democratic engagement.
- Dublin: Concentrates on working with software developers in AI and Big Data to raise awareness about the impact of their tools on democratic principles, ensuring civic participation while avoiding ethical risks.
As part of the KT4D initiative, four key events in October and November 2024 will provide a platform for stakeholders to collaborate, share insights, on how AI can both support and challenge democracy.
1. Digital Democracy Lab: AI in Democratic Innovations KT4D Use Case 1 - 2nd Meeting
On Tuesday, October 15, between 10:00 and 12:30 CET KT4D will hold its Use Case 1, 2nd meeting at the Press Club Brussels Europe entitled ‘Digital Democracy Lab: AI in Democratic Innovations’. The event will be co-organized by Demos Helsinki, The Democratic Society, and Hybrid Core, and will focus on the Brussels use case. This event is particularly aimed at policy advocates and AI governance experts, providing a space to discuss emerging challenges in AI governance and democratic regulation in the European context.
Learn more about the event here.
On Friday, October 25, between 10:00 - 15:00 CET KT4D will hold its Use Case 3 - 2nd Meeting at the Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie, Kraków, Poland entitled ‘Digital Democracy Lab: Democratic Stewardship of AI in Decision-Making’. The workshop organised by Democratic Society and Instytut Rozwoju Miast i Regionów (IRMiR),will focus on AI’s role in democratic stewardship and its impact on civic participation in Poland. Co-organized with the Democratic Society and the Institute for Urban and Regional Development (IRMiR), the event aims to enhance citizens’ understanding of AI in democratic contexts and improve their digital literacy.
Learn more about the event here.
On Tuesday, October 29 between 10:00 - 15:00 CET KT4D will hold its Use Case 2 - 2nd meeting in Madrid and Warsaw. Both Use Cases - organised by The Democratic Society and Cibervoluntarios - address citizen’s concerns related to AI and Big Data through qualitative research. This event will provide a platform for stakeholders to explore how AI can be responsibly integrated into democratic processes, with a focus on the public’s perception of these technologies.
Learn more about the event here.
4. Digital Democracy Lab: Exploring Democracy and AI in Software Design KT4D Use Case 4 - Meeting 2
On Wednesday, November 13, between 18:00 - 20:30 GMT KT4D will hold its Use Case 4 2nd meeting in Dublin, Ireland which targets software developers and engineers working in AI and Big Data. Organised in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin and The Democratic Society, this meeting is a hands-on exploration of how AI design processes can align with democratic values. The event offers a unique opportunity for tech professionals to directly contribute to shaping ethical AI practices that prioritise democracy, helping to set future standards for responsible AI development.
Learn more about the event here.
By attending these events, you will play an active role in the future of AI-driven democracy and help create solutions that reflect the cultural and societal needs of communities across Europe. Explore our Events section for more details on each session and learn about each Use Case on our dedicated page. We look forward to seeing you there!