Democracy has a listening problem. These AI tools could actually help

Brazil's legislative system demonstrated a novel approach to citizen engagement following the death of Joca, a golden retriever, when Fernando, a São Paulo resident, submitted an online proposal for “Joca’s law.” This initiative led to a Senate hearing and subsequent passage of legislation by both the Senate and the House, illustrating a more active form of digital participation beyond simple online interactions. The author, who worked with the late political theorist Benjamin Barber, developed Unchat in 1999, the first software designed for democratic deliberation. Barber advocated for democracy to empower citizens to decide and act, not just to enable free speech. Unchat facilitated cross-distance debate and decision-making, featuring a unique rotating moderation system to promote fairness and collective decision-making, aiming to foster practical participation where citizens actively shape political outcomes. This initiative emerged during a period of optimism about the World Wide Web's potential to reshape democracy, with internet architect Vint Cerf noting the internet's capacity for two-way communication to allow citizens to provide feedback to legislators.