Digital technologies are now an integral part of our daily lives and of our political life. Artificial intelligence, whose development dates back to the early 1950s, is no exception, with its unprecedented growth and enormous impact on everything around us. In this master's thesis, we will study the impact of AI on democracy, specifically its misuse in democratic systems. States of digital authoritarianism, through the use of digital or AI technologies, have for many years been using authoritarian practices, e.g. online surveillance and data control, online censorship and mass surveillance of citizens. These practices are not exclusive to authoritarian political systems; they are also present within democratic systems. The use of artificial intelligence has a profound impact on some of the most fundamental democratic processes in our societies (elections, opinion-forming, freedom of speech, etc.). If not used properly or misused within democratic systems, it can have a drastic impact on electoral processes, such as shaping public opinion, spread of disinformation and controlling citizens, with enormous consequences not only for the individual, but also for society and the political system. The main objective of this study will be to examine the impact of AI on democracy and its processes, and to determine whether the misuse of AI in democratic systems poses a significant threat to democracy, its values, and its institutions.
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