Concern 965 · Working draft · editorial review in progress
Democratic backsliding risks
AI can contribute to democratic backsliding if it helps weaken public debate, independent scrutiny or fair participation, but it should not be treated as the sole cause of institutional decline.
Understanding the concern
Democracy depends on more than holding a vote. People need access to information, freedom to organize and institutions able to check power. AI may affect those conditions through surveillance, misleading communication or opaque public decisions. Its effect depends on how people and organizations deploy it.
V-Dem documents changes in democratic institutions, while research on AI and participation examines opportunities and risks. These sources do not establish that AI caused every measured decline. Think of a weakened bridge facing extra pressure: the structure and the added force both need examination. Specific evidence is needed to connect a technology use to a political effect.
An example
An administration uses opaque automated systems while reducing the independent oversight that could reveal or challenge their effects.
Illustrative unless identified as a documented case.
Words in plain English
- AI
- Software that learns patterns from examples or uses rules to perform tasks such as recognizing images or generating text. It can make mistakes and does not understand every situation as a person would.
Evidence and its limits
V-Dem's indicators are not an AI causal study. The entry describes possible contributing mechanisms rather than attributing broad political trends solely to AI.
V-Dem Institute · Political measurement research
Democracy Report 2026: Unraveling The Democratic Era? ↗ (opens in a new tab)Documents institutional and democratic trends using the report's methods. It does not isolate AI as the cause of democratic backsliding.
OECD 2026 · Governance report
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Citizen Participation ↗ (opens in a new tab)Participation applications and risks, with examples of deliberation. AI-summarized input is not a substitute for citizen judgment.
Broader frameworks and background
These resources provide context. They do not establish every claim in this concern.
- UK International Scientific Report on Advanced AI Safety (opens in a new tab)
report
- International humanitarian law (IHL)
framework
The body of law that governs the conduct of armed conflict and the protection of people who are not fighting, which applies to AI used in or for conflict.
- Artificial Intelligence, Ethics and Armed Conflict (opens in a new tab)
guidance
- ICRC law and policy hub on AI (opens in a new tab)
guidance
People and organizations cited
Public writing, not endorsement, partnership, or affiliation.
International Committee of the Red Cross
A question to discuss
Which democratic safeguard could this use weaken, and what evidence would show its actual effect?
Keep track of different views, what needs checking, and any next step in your own discussion notes.
Open discussion notes →Principles for the conversation
Before you finish · reflect together
Virtues and principles to consider
Virtues are qualities we practice in how we treat people and make choices. They are not scores for judging someone. Use these ideas to explore what a thoughtful response could look like.
Unity
Unity means working toward shared purposes while making room for real differences. It does not require everyone to have the same experience, beliefs, or opinion.
Look for a goal people can share, then explore disagreements about how to reach it. Make sure quieter or less powerful voices can influence the result.
Ask together: What purpose can we share while respecting our differences?
Justice
Justice means fair treatment, fair procedures, and attention to who receives benefits and burdens. It asks whether people with less power can be heard and seek repair.
Look at outcomes across different groups and individual cases. Provide a usable way to challenge decisions and correct harm. Equal wording in a policy does not guarantee equal treatment in practice.
Ask together: Who benefits, who bears the cost, and who can challenge the decision?
Humility
Humility means recognizing the limits of our knowledge and being willing to learn from others. Expertise can be valuable without answering every question.
State where evidence is weak, invite criticism, and listen to people with different experience. Leave room to revise a decision when new information appears.
Ask together: What might we be missing, and who could help us see it?
Editorial ratings
These are editorial judgments from the register, not measured probabilities or predictions about your situation.
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