AI continues to play an increasing role in democratic society and democratic practices. Indeed, digital technologies and AI have enabled many useful applications with great democratic potential, such as social media platforms, easy fact-checking accessible to all, and the analysis of large amounts of data for policy purposes. Yet, these technological developments do beg the question of how to promote and preserve public values in the digital realm. 

During this event, we will explore some of the different roles that AI plays in contemporary democratic societies and how AI might affect democratic legitimacy as well as digital sovereignty. On the one hand, we will focus on the use of AI in news and media and how it could have a disruptive effect on the input to, as well as the process of, democratic deliberation and decision-making. On the other hand, we will critically assess the legal establishment of mass data surveillance for predictive policing frameworks. We will seek to address issues such as, but not limited to, the protection of fundamental rights like privacy and data protection, the preservation of democratic values in public debate, and the characteristics of an appropriate and desirable nexus between democracy and AI.