On Tuesday 15 October 2024, the Phelan US Centre hosted the event “AI and Democracy’ with Professor Lawrence Lessig of Harvard Law School and chaired by the President and Vice Chancellor of LSE, Professor Larry Kramer. Ivey-Elise Ivey gives an overview of the event and the Q&A segment.

On Tuesday, 15 October 2024, the Phelan US Centre hosted Professor Lawrence Lessig of Harvard Law School for the event “AI and Democracy” with Professor Larry Kramer (President and Vice Chancellor of LSE) chairing. As America faces growing political polarization, society is simultaneously reflecting on digital artificial intelligence’s (AI) potential to be both beneficial and detrimental. The intersection of these realities raises concerns about America’s future. Considering Professor Lessig’s impressive career with expertise in cyber law and democratic theory, Professor Kramer remarked that Professor Lessig is “the best person to help us think through these new issues” that are facing US society today.

The problem – the weakening of democracy

Lessig began his lecture by highlighting the persistence of belief in misinformation and conspiracy among the US population. Polling he cited indicates that thirty-two percent of American adults believe that the 2020 election was “stolen” despite continued evidence to the contrary. Over the last eight years of political controversy, Trump’s initial popularity ratings among US Republicans, Democrats, or independents have seen no significant changes. Lessig proposed that these entrenched political divisions and the growing belief in misinformation are “the new normal”. So, what has led us to this point?

Lessig traced the evolution of America’s media landscape to changes in information sources and public opinion. In the early days of television with only three main news networks, the US public shared a common understanding termed “broadcast democracy”. This contrasts with today’s “post-broadcast democracy” where in the face of media sources competing for viewers, a new business model was adopted to appeal to partisanship. Lessig argued that this has been exacerbated by the rise of the internet and social media, leading us to our current position. When prioritizing profit and engagement at the expense of individual and societal wellbeing- AI acts as a tool that weakens democracy by eliminating public common understanding through the perpetuation of fragmented, partisan media realities.

The solutions – quadratic taxes and citizen assemblies

Stressing the need for solutions, Lessig said, “The democracy we have right now, is not one that we can practice in a world with this media.” He proposed that legislative regulation and taxation could be used to discourage the current business model that thrives on engagement at all costs. Lessig specifically pointed to a “quadratic tax” applied to corporations’ advertising profits. The tax would increase as users exceeded a baseline ‘healthy’ level of engagement to penalize platforms that use AI design to maximize advertising profits by encouraging excessive use.

Secondly, Lessig advocated for citizen assemblies (CAs) to compliment the current model of elected government. Likened to large scale juries, CAs are groups made up of randomly selected citizens who deliberate on policy in a “protected environment” free from any outside influence (especially that of AI driven media). Lessig pointed to countries such as Iceland, Ireland and Mongolia that have successfully implemented CAs in a way that demonstrates how average citizens are capable of making judgements which are “worthy and valuable contributions to democracy.”

Closing questions and discussion

Following the lecture, Professor Kramer moderated a Q&A section of the event where audience members raised concerns including the potential impact of AI on voter autonomy, the role of data biases in the negative impacts of AI, and the challenges of regulating media without infringing on free speech. Lessig concluded by poignantly acknowledging the challenges facing the US and agreed with one audience member who questioned whether it “may be too late” to overcome the fragmented US political reality. Still, Lessig urged that “whatever the odds”, we must continue to seek solutions to these issues and maintain a vision of hope for America’s future.

• Listen to the podcast of the event, ‘What AI is doing to America’s democracy’ [LSE Player]
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• Note: This article gives the views of the author, and not the position of USAPP – American Politics and Policy, nor the London School of Economics.  
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