Research project
AI is transforming the landscape of politics—from how information circulates in media platforms to how decisions are made in institutions. The research cluster AI, Power and Politics brings together leading scholars across disciplines to investigate how artificial intelligence is reshaping democratic foundations such as truth, accountability, inclusion, and legitimacy.
The research cluster AI, Power and Politics explores how AI technologies are reconfiguring power relations, political communication, and governance nationally and globally. The cluster is built on a unique interdisciplinary collaboration across the social sciences, humanities, and computing, and it includes studies on AI’s impact on information ecosystems, decision-making processes, and geopolitical dynamics. Combining theoretical analysis with applied research, the project aims to strengthen democratic resilience and provide knowledge about policy, civil society, and technology development.
Artificial intelligence is challenging established notions of how political power is exercised, how citizens engage, and how societies are governed. The research cluster AI, Power and Politics brings together scholars from sociology, political science, philosophy, media and information studies, and computer science to analyse the role of AI in contemporary democratic systems.
Funded by WASP-HS and coordinated through DIGSUM, the research is structured around three thematic streams:
Information ecosystems and public discourse – examining how AI influences opinion formation, disinformation, and platform governance.
Democratic values and decision-making – focusing on legitimacy, accountability, and transparency in AI-driven governance systems.
Geopolitics and AI governance – exploring shifting power relations among states, corporations, and other actors in global AI development.
The project aims to establish a long-term, sustainable research environment and train a new generation of scholars. By combining qualitative and quantitative methods and collaborating with international partners and societal stakeholders, the cluster seeks to shape the future of democratic AI.