Generative AI & Democracy Working Group

Increased public access to and awareness of generative artificial intelligence (AI) applications, which were launched into the spotlight with the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, presents both opportunities and risks for democratic societies. As generative AI began dominating the public conversation, with ChatGPT becoming the fastest-growing consumer application in history, the International Republican Institute (IRI) saw increased demand from partners globally for support to prepare for current and potential impacts caused by generative AI. In response, IRI’s Technology and Democracy Practice launched the Generative AI and Democracy Working Group to address this need. IRI’s Technology and Democracy Practice works to ensure that digital technologies are developed, deployed, governed, and used to advance democratic values.  

This working group, officially launched in November 2023, creates a collaborative space for democratic actors – including representatives from civil society, academia, industry, and policy – to discuss the impacts AI will have on democracies, with a particular focus on trends in the Global South. The intent of this working group is to fill a gap in knowledge that may widen as AI continues to evolve, and to provide guidance to civil society and policymakers on how to maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of generative AI to democracy.  

The first convening of the working group was held on November 1st, 2023. Six sessions will be held in total, with the final meeting scheduled for May 2024, before culminating in the release of a white paper synthesizing findings in the summer of 2024. Discussion topics include current and potential harms of generative AI to democracy, impacts to information environments, issues of transparency, opportunities for positive use, and regulatory approaches, among others. The white paper will aim to synthesize these discussions, including guidance and recommendations on navigating threats and opportunities for AI and democracy.

Working Group Members

An illustrative list of working group members’ organizations can be found below. Participants come from across the globe and represent a variety of fields. Please note that this list is not intended to be comprehensive:

If you’d like to learn more or have any questions, please reach out to azink@iri.org.

Learn more about the Generative AI & Democracy Working Group

View Our Introductory PDF

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