On how to legislate in the age of algorithms, and save democracy in the process

A lot has been said already about the dangers posed by deepfakes, fake news, and echo chambers amplified by intelligent algorithms. Yet these risks are just one facet of a vast universe of implications we must soon confront. That’s why we’ve decided to steer the conversation in another direction

Generative artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and even the speculative “artificial wisdom” hold the potential to transform our governance systems in ways that are nearly unimaginable, especially against the backdrop of growing fatigue in Europe with the liberal democratic model. To be more specific, we’re talking about the possibility of a genuine revolution in the legislative, political, legal, and economic processes.

At Harmon, we live for and by the romanticism of navigating the intangible and the turbulent. This is why we’ve chosen to tackle this complex puzzle alongside equally restless partners: the tech-savvy and journalistic minds of Newtral’s centaurs. Together, we’re driving Parlamentia, a platform that we hope rings a bell (we’ve mentioned it before). The shared goal of this innovation project is, ultimately, to make the Spanish and European legislative process accessible and comprehensible for all citizens.

This past October, we hosted an event at the Fundación Ortega-Marañón in Madrid to introduce the platform. The gathering brought together experts from various sectors to discuss the future of democratic governance in a world of hyper-advanced artificial intelligences. For those who missed it or want a recap, we’ve prepared a short audiovisual piece summarizing the event, available on this page.

Moreover, because we wanted to delve deeper into the topic (we don’t know how to do otherwise), we spoke with numerous experts, conducted research, compiled data, and drafted a new report—Artificial Wisdom and Democratic Trust: Legislating in the Age of Algorithms, which you can download here. In it, we aim to provide a comprehensive vision of the many innovative pathways that lie ahead. We hope you find it insightful; it’s a work crafted with care.