Society and Democracy

The rapid increase of technological development is impacting society in new and partially unpredictable ways. With AI being integrated into all facets of life, ranging from recommender systems for movies to automatic passport control and facial recognition in airports, it is important to understand the negative ramifications this technology may have on society and democracy as a whole. Previously, the development of technologies was frequently guided by the interests of tech giants with profit motivating research. While this line of development has produced some impressive systems, there is little consideration for the protection of citizens and the regulation of these technologies for the greater societal good. In order to combat this trend, the European Union introduced the AI act, stipulating legislation for new AI systems depending on the level or risk posed by the system. However, with this increase in legislation, fears are rising about Europe falling behind other, non-legislated countries, in the development of new software. It is such that legislators need to find the balance between regulation and development, to protect democracy and society without adversely affecting the development of the European AI research sector.

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