Democracy, AI, and the Future of Civil Rights

Last month, Aspen Digital brought together over 30 leaders from a diverse range of backgrounds including tech, government, elections administration, and civil rights for a frank discussion about the impact of technology on historically marginalized communities, and their access to vote. Entitled, "Algorithmic Suppression: Democracy, AI, and the Future of Civil Rights," our roundtable examined new forms of democratic suppression enabled by AI and other technologies.

The stakes for this year's elections couldn't be higher. Trust in basic democratic institutions, particularly among communities of color, has been systematically eroded by malicious actors intent on sowing discord and confusion. Rising hateful rhetoric online increasingly translates directly into real world violence. While attacks on such communities are not new, 2024 has ushered in a unique set of challenges. Since the last election, social media companies have reduced the ranks of content moderators, some academic research institutions that study malicious online behaviors have retreated under pressure, and AI-driven applicationsmake it easier and cheaper for bad actors to fan the flames of division and distrust.

In order to future-proof our democracy, tech leaders will need to engage more directly with the communities their products impact. The roundtable reflected that spirit, with some sessions focused on AI mythbusting and others centering the communities' perspectives on threats that often go overlooked.

Participants worked through a variety of potential scenarios that might play out between now and Election Day and the subsequent certification process. This exercise and the discussions throughout the day surfaced a number of recommendations and observations about the upcoming 2024 elections and how communities can achieve long-term resilience.

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