BLUF: AI can be leveraged to improve civic participation and governance by serving as a discussion moderator and consensus builder, using advanced language models to identify distinctive arguments and outlier perspectives in public comments, ultimately aligning the incentives of elected leaders with those of individuals to revitalize democracy.
The potential benefits of using AI in democratic processes should not be overlooked, despite concerns about its dehumanizing effects. While there are valid worries about the spread of misinformation and the automation of corporate lobbying, many groups have already started demonstrating the positive uses of AI for governance. One of the key constructive use cases is AI’s ability to serve as a discussion moderator and consensus builder.
As our population grows and becomes more interconnected, AI’s capability to rapidly digest, interpret, and summarize the vast amounts of content generated by public comments becomes crucial for democracy to scale effectively. Two different approaches can be taken when using generative AI to improve civic participation and governance. The chosen approach will greatly impact the experience of public policy advocates and individuals trying to have their voices heard in a future system where AI chatbots play a dominant role.
Currently, agencies rely on human power to read through and summarize the comments received. While digital tools have helped improve this process, they are limited compared to the capabilities of AI. One approach, known as collapsing public opinion, condenses thousands of comments into a set of essential readings that represent the broad themes of community feedback. Although this approach eases the burden on agency staff, it sacrifices individuality, personal circumstances, and persuasive content present in unique testimonies. Additionally, it overlooks the opportunity to identify committed and knowledgeable advocates who could have long-term relationships with the agency.
The need for summarization is practical, as regulators and legislators may not have the time to read every single comment. However, an alternative approach exists that involves using AI techniques to identify distinctive arguments and unique perspectives within public comments. By employing outlier detection methods, AI can pinpoint comments that diverge from the norm and discover constituent stories and experiences that resonate with lawmakers. While it is not necessary to use state-of-the-art AI language models for this task, their deployment can bring greater sophistication and flexibility to the procedure.
To prioritize public comments, lawmakers and regulators often resort to metrics such as campaign donations and employment ties. However, AI can facilitate a better decision-making process by providing elected representatives with a comprehensive understanding of public sentiment. By aligning the incentives of elected leaders with those of individuals, AI can help revitalize democracy and ensure that ailing democracy receives the support it needs.
In conclusion, leveraging AI as a discussion moderator and consensus builder can enhance civic participation and governance by utilizing advanced language models to identify distinctive arguments and outlier perspectives in public comments. This approach aligns the incentives of elected leaders with those of individuals, ultimately revitalizing democracy and ensuring that public voices are heard.