TED Tech How AI could hack democracy | Lawrence Lessig
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Feb 7, 2025 
Lawrence Lessig, a Harvard Law professor and advocate for representative government, delves into how AI could undermine democracy. He warns that we've already reached a critical juncture that warrants immediate attention. The conversation addresses the impact of misinformation on democratic beliefs, particularly following the January 6 events. Lessig emphasizes the need for media literacy and critiques corporate influence, advocating for citizen assemblies as a safeguard against technological threats to democracy.
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Unwavering Beliefs
- Astonishingly, Republican beliefs about the stolen election remain unchanged.
- This persistence, despite evidence, reveals a concerning shift in political discourse.
Paranoia of the Hunted
- Facts don't seem to influence public opinion anymore.
- Develop a healthy paranoia about what creates this reality, like characters in "The Birds" or "Black Mirror."
Analog AIs
- We've lived with analog AIs: entities/institutions built with purpose.
- Democracies and corporations, with their own objectives, are examples of such AIs.