AI threatens democracy. But we are not powerless: here’s how to fight back | Carine Fouteau

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Carine Fouteau is president and publishing director of the French investigative news outlet Mediapart…

Big tech companies pose an immeasurable threat: socially, politically, militarily and ecologically. They are also causing a profound crisis of information. The tools they design now serve as weapons of mass destruction against democracy. There is so much at stake that an urgent and broad mobilisation is required.

From the harvesting of personal data and the weaponisation of public opinion, to the destruction of jobs, the infringement of civil liberties and environmental damage, ordinary citizens are the main victims of this predatory economy – an economy with an agenda that aligns with the interests of the planet’s most authoritarian and reactionary states.

The threats facing the information landscape affect us all. Journalists of my generation have witnessed four major digital revolutions: the internet, social media, smartphones, and now, artificial intelligence. What fundamentally changes with AI is our relationship with the truth. For big tech companies, the boundary between truth and falsehood has vanished. This makes it essential to reaffirm the role of public-interest journalism.

Our mission is to publish information that is in the public interest by seeking the factual truth, standing against “fake news” and propaganda. Our mission is to help create a democratic public sphere that serves citizens.

Yet AI companies are completely reshaping this space to their own advantage; their mission is not the public interest, but generating profits. Their methods include plundering news outlets without authorisation or compensation.