A blueprint for using AI to strengthen democracy

AI is becoming the primary interface through which people form beliefs and participate in democratic self-governance. The next generation of AI assistants will synthesize information and present it with authority, giving those who control the models increasing influence over people's beliefs. Personal AI agents will conduct research, draft communications, and lobby on a user's behalf, potentially mediating the relationship between individuals and governing institutions. These agents pose risks, including polarization and radicalization, even if they are well-designed and aligned with their users' interests. The collective interactions of millions of AI agents could produce outcomes that no individual wanted or chose, potentially creating a collection of private worlds inhospitable to shared deliberation. The design choices being made now will determine whether AI strengthens or strains democratic institutions.