Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence

The world of data analysis has advanced by leaps and bounds. Not in mathematical complexity as much as in the amount of data that can be digested: every fragment of the digital sphere today is being absorbed and digested. And if advertisers use data to sell, political strategists have used it to rewrite the rules of social interaction.

Two examples, the Brexit and the election of Donald Trump, have shown the profound implications that the intersection of artificial intelligence, social media, and politics can bring.

To begin with, the case of Brexit. The United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union was a political and economic event with global repercussions. It might seem that the vote was simply a democratic expression of the will of the British people. However, the exploitation of data produced by social media platforms in this saga is a factor that cannot be underestimated.

The algorithms used to influence the electorate were the product of a specialized field that combined computer science with psychology, economics and sociology. Using this information, as Cambridge Analytica (a "global election management agency") proudly boasted, politicians were able to bombard users with personalized content that exploited their fears, aspirations and prejudices.

Welcome Fake News: distorted or outright false narratives about the European Union designed to fuel skepticism about Europe. Messages designed to resonate with individuals' existing views and fears, making them more likely to vote to leave the Union.

Similar tactics were also used during the U.S. presidential election in 2016 — the one that led to Donald Trump's victory. Here, the plot got complicated with the alleged involvement of foreign powers (only one actually...). Allegations were made about an army of bots (from robots) on social media, created and controlled by foreign entities, designed to invade American social media platforms with propaganda and disinformation. Bots that have exploited divisions in American society, sowing confusion, discord and distrust.

These cases serve as a warning about the potential abuse of artificial intelligence and social media in political contexts, and they highlight a danger looming in our future: the prospect of an artificial intelligence agent with the ability to influence each voter individually. Imagine such advanced software that could come up with the perfect argument to persuade each individual voter. This entity could manipulate voters into letting a candidate win not based on his or her policies or merits, but based on his or her ability to leverage fears and desires.

This raises the specter of a potential "strong man (or woman!)" figure, reminiscent of past fascist dictators such as Mussolini or Hitler. Such an individual could potentially exploit this Artificial Intelligence capability to manipulate public opinion on an unprecedented scale. It could bend the will of the masses to its will, undermining the very basis of democratic decision-making. In essence, democracy could be hijacked by a powerful AI tool and its unscrupulous handlers.

The idea of a manipulative Artificial Intelligence is no longer merely speculative. The technological advances we are observing and the existing examples of technology's role in manipulating public opinion make it a possibility we cannot afford to ignore.

While the World Wide Web has promised more informed and engaged citizens, its marriage with Artificial Intelligence and libertarian capitalism has given birth to a three-headed Cerberus that could lead our global society toward a dystopian society in which a non-sentient machine (sorry Google Bart) will be the ultimate controller.

In the face of such threats, it is critical to cultivate a digital ecosystem that upholds truth, transparency and integrity — the "trustworthy Artificial Intelligence." This includes regulations on the use of personal data, rigorous fact-checking mechanisms to counter misinformation, and public education on digital culture. Technological advances in Artificial Intelligence must be accompanied by equal advances in ethical guidelines and accountability mechanisms to prevent misuse.

The digital revolution, which began more than 50 years ago with the creation of a computer network, the Internet, still has enormous potential to improve democratic processes. However, without proper checks and balances, these same tools can become threats to the very ideals they promise to uphold. As we push further and further into this new frontier, our challenge is to harness the power of these technologies while preserving the principles of democracy.

This is not only the responsibility of policy makers: first and foremost, it is the responsibility of people, like us, who are developing AI-based products.