Tech policy experts Mark Coeckelbergh, author of the new book Why AI Undermines Democracy and What To Do About It, Mary Anne Franks of George Washington University Law School, and Marc Rotenberg of the Center for AI and Digital Policy explored the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and constitutional principles and suggest strategies to protect democratic values in the digital age. This conversation was moderated by Thomas Donnelly, chief content officer at the National Constitution Center.
This program was made possible through the generous support of Citizen Travelers, the nonpartisan civic engagement initiative of Travelers.
Video:
Participants:
Mark Coeckelbergh is professor of philosophy of media and technology at the University of Vienna. He is the former president of the Society for Philosophy and Technology. He has authored numerous books and articles on the philosophy and ethics of technology, including: AI Ethics (2020), The Political Philosophy of AI (2022), and his latest book Why AI Undermines Democracy and What To Do About It(April/May 2024).
Mary Anne Franks is the Eugene L. and Barbara A. Bernard Professor in Intellectual Property, Technology, and Civil Rights Law at the George Washington University Law School. She is an internationally recognized expert on the intersection of civil rights, free speech, and technology and advises several major technology platforms on privacy, free expression, and safety issues. Franks is also the president and legislative & tech policy director of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating online abuse and discrimination. She is the author of the forthcoming book due out later this year: Fearless Speech: Breaking Free from the First Amendment (Oct. 2024).
Marc Rotenberg is the executive director and founder of the Center for AI and Digital Policy. He co-founded the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), and has served on many international advisory panels, including the OECD AI Group of Experts. He also helped draft the Universal Guidelines for AI, a widely endorsed human rights framework for the regulation of artificial intelligence, and has directed international comparative law studies on Privacy and Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Values. Rotenberg is the author of several textbooks including the 2020 AI Policy Sourcebook and Privacy and Society (2016). He also serves as an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law.
Additional Resources:
- Mark Coeckelbergh, Why AI Undermines Democracy and What To Do About It (2024)
- Center for AI and Digital Policy (CAIDP), “Universal Guidelines for AI”
- CAIDP, “Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Values”
- Mary Anne Franks, Fearless Speech: Breaking Free from the First Amendment, (forthcoming Oct. 2024)
- “Tougher AI Policies Could Protect Taylor Swift—And Everyone Else—From Deepfakes,” Scientific American (Feb. 8, 2024)
- Marc Rotenberg, “Human Rights Alignment: The Challenge Ahead for AI Lawmakers,” (Dec. 2023)
- EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), https://gdpr-info.eu/
- “U.S. Senate Will Debate Three Bipartisan Bills Addressing the Use of AI in Elections,” Democracy Docket (May 14, 2024)
- OECD Principles on AI
- Marc Rotenberg, “The Imperative for a UN Special Rapporteur on AI and Human Rights,” Vol. 1 (2024)
- Mark Coeckelbergh, “The case for global governance of AI: arguments, counter-arguments, and challenges ahead,” (May 2024)
- Bipartisan Senate AI Working Group Report
- Council of Europe and AI
- Council of Europe AI Treaty
Stay Connected and Learn More:
- Questions or comments about the show? Email us at [email protected]
- Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr.
- Sign up to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate.
- Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen.
- Join us for an upcoming live program or watch recordings on YouTube.
- Support our important work.
