THE AUTOCRACY-CODE 

 

Can artificial intelligence be used to harm democracies? Six experts from different fields are conducting a unique experiment: they are using AI to create an autocratic leader for Germany. The film explores what could happen when political actors use this new technology without ethical considerations. Globally, democracy is under threat. In 2023, 70 percent of the world’s population lived under autocratic regimes, where power is concentrated in the hands of one person or a small group. Do we also long for strong leadership in Germany?

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On behalf of ARD, six experts from various fields are using artificial intelligence to create an autocratic leader for Germany. Every detail—appearance, voice, political agenda—is determined by the AI’s decisions. The AI politician is tested in the context of the European elections and across various social media platforms. Ultimately, he faces an interview with ARD presenter Caren Miosga. The experiment is accompanied by insights from AI experts Geoffrey Hinton and Wendy Hall, along with examples of how AI is already being used to influence politics. The project won the ARD documentary film competition, TopDocs.

 

 

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