AI for Democratic Politics

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping democratic politics across the globe. From election campaigns and political communication to journalism, public administration, and civic activism, AI technologies increasingly influence how citizens receive information, how political actors compete, and how democratic institutions operate.

• AI poses serious democratic risks, including AI-enabled disinformation, deepfakes, automated targeting, and algorithmic amplification. These developments can undermine trust in media, distort public debate, and exacerbate inequalities between political actors and citizens.
• At the same time, AI opens democratic opportunities. Journalists, civil society organizations, opposition movements, and public institutions are experimenting with AI tools to counter manipulation, improve access to information, and foster more inclusive and responsive forms of political participation.

This workshop brings these dynamics together. It examines AI not only as a source of democratic disruption, but also as a potential resource for democratic resilience, asking how democratic politics can respond constructively to AI-driven challenges.

Workshop Focus

The workshop explores how AI shapes three core dimensions of democratic politics:

information → competition → participation

We welcome contributions that engage with both the democratic risks posed by AI and the ways in which AI can strengthen democratic politics, with a particular interest in work that examines opportunities for democratic empowerment, resilience, and renewal.

The workshop adopts a broad comparative approach. We particularly welcome contributions focusing on Europe and the United States, as well as comparative or case-based studies from other regions that offer broader relevance for democratic politics in these contexts.

The workshop will take place at Central European University (CEU), Vienna, on November 19-20, 2026. We anticipate approximately 12 paper presenters, including invited speakers. In addition, a limited number of practitioners from civil society, media, and policy-oriented organizations will be invited to contribute to discussions.