Democracy hinges on our ability to decide what issues matter, how to tackle them and who should lead the change.
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more ingrained in our lives, there are growing concerns our decisions are increasingly swayed by powerful, self-interested actors rather than authentic, independent thought. This shift poses serious risks to the core democratic values Canadian institutions must seek to uphold. Even Ontario’s chief electoral officer has called for a systemic response with more protective measures.
As our country gears up for a likely federal election, the need to become data-literate and adopt systemic controls that preserve our autonomy has never been more crucial.
Strong democracies experience better health outcomes, with transparency and participation in policy decisions contributing significantly to public well-being. For Canada, this is great news for those who take pride in our rigorous processes.
But rapidly advancing technologies are affecting our democratic processes.
New technologies analyze mountains of data to do what works ‘best,’ whether it is a machine learning (ML) model to make predictions, computer vision to understand visual information, or natural language processing (NLP) to process human language. But the question is: ‘best’ for what and for whom? In democratic processes, this can mean targeting specific political messages to certain groups, shaping voting behaviour, or even discouraging participation altogether. With 80 per cent of Canadians relying on the internet for news, our behaviours are increasingly steered by technology.
During the 2021 federal election, false stories and misleading information, amplified by automated bots, showcased an already fragile state of affairs. This vulnerability could be further exacerbated by the potential impact of advanced technologies. Specifically, ML algorithms enable powerful analysis of what actions drive the greatest engagement. The use of generative AI, large language models (LLM) and NLP also allow formidable generation of content to spread across the internet.
Vulnerable groups, in particular, lost trust in governments, experts and major media outlets as a result of this mass-produced misinformation – eroding trust in vaccines, climate change, and the electoral process as a whole.
Modern day problems require modern day solutions.
AI tools are not inherently problematic. Their impact depends on how they are used. The focus therefore should be on their applications to ensure they benefit, rather than harm, democracy.
The mistrust during the 2021 election did not stem from AI, but from specific individuals and organizations who seek to challenge democracy. For many democracies, the most visible messages become ‘truth’ due to their sheer prevalence. This complicates our individual ability to make informed decisions based on reality.
We can navigate this landscape safely by helping people critically evaluate the information they consume. The Ontario Nonprofit Network urged non-profits to lead the way in tackling misinformation by educating voters on how to find reliable information and actively debunking false statements.
In addition to stronger digital literacy, we also need regulatory oversight and coordinated efforts to strengthen systemic responses. Elections Ontario has asked the provincial government for standards and reporting requirements for political ads as well as specific protections related to misinformation and disinformation. This is a solid initial step to enhance public sector protections. However, private sector accountability is also important to ensure transparency in how various technologies function and to effectively detect and safeguard their online applications.
There is an important lesson here: don’t be fooled by the “intelligence” in AI. AI remains an artificial tool designed for and used by people.
Canadians need to receive new resources on digital literacy and our leaders must provide robust policy responses to uphold democratic values. As AI continues to evolve, it is crucial to strike a balance between leveraging its benefits and maintaining our independent decision-making. By fostering a culture of critical thinking and policy-related vigilance, we can uphold our democratic processes and be healthier.