Cornerstone: Practicing Democratic Processes and Sourcing Collective Intelligence

Publication date

18.09.2023

The introduction of ChatGPT by OpenAI has sparked a global competition, not just to create new comprehensive and creative AI tools, but also to establish regulations for AI technologies. While impressive advancements in the AI field are influencing many aspects of people's lives, in-depth discussions about the pros and cons of AI technologies and the necessity to strike a balance between innovation and regulation primarily occur within a small, exclusive community of experts, scholars, and policymakers. In contrast, the wider public often finds itself somewhat bewildered by the AI revolution, with many lacking well-informed viewpoints on AI-related matters.

Nevertheless, AI technologies are already a tangible presence and significantly affect the day-to-day lives of our citizens, impacting political and social realms. The absence of active civic participation and AI literacy not only exposes individuals to potential AI-related risks but also raises the concern that the decision-making process could be dominated by technocratic politicians and entrepreneurs, sidelining the general public from contributing to the formulation of those policies.

Collective intelligence and Democratic Participation

While many of us acknowledge the importance of involving citizens in the deliberation and discussion of AI policy, there is an argument that citizen input may not bring any additional value due to their lack of professional expertise. Some even suggest that citizen participation could potentially bolster populist political movements and linger the policymaking processes. The response to this skepticism lies in the potential of collective intelligence, a force that has driven remarkable human achievements throughout history, both ancient and modern. Collective intelligence underscores the idea that communities working together can achieve far more than individuals acting in isolation. Democracy itself is a manifestation of collective intelligence (Landemore 2017), as it depends not solely on the values and thoughts of a select few politicians but, more importantly, on the active engagement and informed participation of the masses.

In the context of the AI revolution and the numerous complexities surrounding AI governance and policy-making, harnessing the capabilities of collective intelligence becomes essential. Through collective deliberation and the collaborative creation of knowledge by diverse communities, we can uncover innovative solutions to AI-related challenges. This approach also enhances the policymaking process by making it more inclusive, legitimate, and enriched with valuable insights.

Collective Intelligence Platforms for Ethical AI

Collective intelligence platforms have the potential to significantly enhance the process of shaping ethical AI policies. They empower policymakers to take into account the concerns and interests of their constituents, while also equipping individual citizens with the knowledge and tools to actively participate in intellectual conversations and policy debates related to AI.

OpenAI, the organization responsible for the disruptive ChatGPT technology in AI policymaking, has already recognized the importance of democratizing AI policy and innovation processes. This commitment is exemplified by the Democratic Inputs to AI project, which allocates resources to various initiatives aimed at creating collective intelligence platforms, designed to facilitate democratic discussions and deliberations on AI policy matters. Many of these initiatives draw inspiration from the success of Polis, an AI-powered deliberation platform that allows a large number of citizens to engage in meaningful conversations, while machine learning tools generate valuable analytics regarding their participation patterns (Small et al. 2023).

These endeavors underscore the necessity of exploring the potential of collective intelligence and emphasize the importance of establishing user-friendly platforms where citizens can interact, exchange ideas, debate the merits and drawbacks of different proposals, engage in stimulating conversations, and ultimately arrive at concrete solutions for AI-related challenges and dilemmas.

Enhancing Collective Intelligence for AI Policymaking: Adalan AI’s Approach

While we fully endorse and champion the aforementioned initiatives aimed at democratizing intellectual discourse surrounding AI, AdalanAI offers a distinct perspective on this endeavor. Our initiative combines the advantages of collective intelligence platforms with a nuanced understanding of democratic politics. We also take into account and actively address the challenges to democratic policymaking, including issues like political polarization, hate speech, and political extremism.

What sets our approach apart is its alignment with the consensus model of democracy, rather than the majority model. Consequently, the discussions and voting processes facilitated by our platform prioritize the exchange of ideas, collaboration, and the pursuit of consensus, rather than fostering competition and perpetuating division.

Furthermore, our approach adopts a pragmatic stance and acknowledges that many citizens may not possess an in-depth understanding of specific AI-related issues. Therefore, our collective intelligence platform places a special emphasis on educating participants about crucial AI-related matters. It aims to equip them with the knowledge they need to engage in informed and high-quality discussions, ensuring that everyone can contribute meaningfully to the conversation.

Given the above premises, we believe in the essentiality of spaces that will create a safe, inclusive, equal, and informative space for suggestions, discussions, deliberations, and voting on important issues related to AI.  

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As AI technologies advance and discussions around AI regulation continue to develop, we believe that tools for citizen participation and engagement should also evolve. We see ourselves as pioneers in the realm of AI-specific deliberation and voting platforms, harnessing the power of collective intelligence to drive progress.

Stay tuned for our updates and don't hesitate to get involved!