Citizens' Assembly for the Age of AI?

An alarming gap is growing, between raw technological power and societal self-governance capability. Accordingly, a number of members of London Futurists are preparing to launch a national petition: "Call a Citizens’ Assembly to consider Stewardship Democracy for the age of AI".

The petition anticipates that fast-accelerating AI will bring many acute stresses and strains to society, the economy, and to politics:

• Misrepresentation and manipulation of information
• A cascading disruption of employment due to increased automation
• Emotional distress and growing polarisation via the spread of misleading AI-generated narratives
• Excess resources being diverted in support of new AI capabilities
• Adverse impacts on the environment
• Risks of AI-induced failures in our financial, media, or military infrastructures.

At the same time, AI could bring major benefits in healthcare, science, education, and productivity. The core challenge, therefore, is to ensure that political institutions remain capable of managing both the opportunities and the risks.

The intent of the petition

The intent of the petition is to encourage a national conversation about how democratic processes should evolve in order to enable better-informed decisions, distribute the benefits of technology more fairly, and reduce the risk of major societal breakdown.

The goal is not to slow beneficial innovation, but to ensure that democratic institutions are capable of guiding that innovation wisely and sharing its benefits widely.

Your chance to shape the campaign around the petition

This online meeting is an opportunity to discuss:

• Progress so far with the launch of the petition
• The questions and debates that the Citizens' Assembly would ideally prioritise
• The root problems of current democratic systems: how well do we understand what these are?
• Strengths and weaknesses of various alternative types of participatory democracy, including Stewardship Democracy
• What practical steps can be taken to increase the impact of the petition, and to boost the likelihood that it will significantly enhance public discussion about democracy for the age of AI
• Opportunities for partnerships, personal action, and community leadership.

To read more about the petition - including a list of Frequently Asked Questions - see petition.londonfuturists.com.

Note: The initial focus of the petition is on democracy within the UK. However, similar questions arise for political governance around the world - locally, nationally, and internationally.

About this event

This online conversation will be held inside a dedicated Zoom Meeting room. No advance registration is required, but you will arrive in a Waiting Room until a co-host admits you. By default, please keep your mics muted. You will be welcome to turn on your cameras, and to exchange comments (respectfully, please) in the Chat window.

Here's a link to the event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82167994008?pwd=V3sICUwFn5515Bp88JMtFOeqkPAfqX.1

You can take part, either from a Zoom app if you have installed it, or from a web browser.

Start time: 7:30pm UK time.

The event will commence with a number of short scene-setting presentations, before transitioning into an open conversation featuring questions, suggestions, and planning of concrete next steps.