Artificial Intelligence and Democracy: Interview with Netflix's David Caroll
A podcast style interview addressing AI's role in today's democracy
Summary
In 2019, Netflix released The Great Hack, a documentary that explored the role of data privacy in modern society and how digital information is weaponized to influence democratic processes. One of the central figures in the documentary is Professor David Carroll—who, coincidentally, teaches at Parsons, the school that I go to within The New School. A lot has changed since the documentary’s release: a global pandemic, a second Trump presidency, and the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, to name just a few. While TheGreat Hack focused heavily on social media’s role in surveillance capitalism, it barely touched on the possibilities and risks introduced by AI. The aim of this project is to interview Professor Carroll and ask him questions that build on the themes of the documentary, updated for the technological, political, and cultural realities of today.
In 2019, Netflix released The Great Hack, a documentary that explored the role of data privacy in modern society and how digital information is weaponized to influence democratic processes. One of the central figures in the documentary is Professor David Carroll—who, coincidentally, teaches at Parsons, the school that I go to within The New School. A lot has changed since the documentary’s release: a global pandemic, a second Trump presidency, and the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, to name just a few. While TheGreat Hack focused heavily on social media’s role in surveillance capitalism, it barely touched on the possibilities and risks introduced by AI. The aim of this project is to interview Professor Carroll and ask him questions that build on the themes of the documentary, updated for the technological, political, and cultural realities of today.
In 2019, Netflix released The Great Hack, a documentary that explored the role of data privacy in modern society and how digital information is weaponized to influence democratic processes. One of the central figures in the documentary is Professor David Carroll—who, coincidentally, teaches at Parsons, the school that I go to within The New School. A lot has changed since the documentary’s release: a global pandemic, a second Trump presidency, and the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, to name just a few. While TheGreat Hack focused heavily on social media’s role in surveillance capitalism, it barely touched on the possibilities and risks introduced by AI. The aim of this project is to interview Professor Carroll and ask him questions that build on the themes of the documentary, updated for the technological, political, and cultural realities of today.
Central Research Question
When I began this project, I didn’t have a single, clearly defined research question in mind. The closest I came was the broad and pressing concern: Is AI a threat to democracy? However, after engaging with the readings and discussions throughout the semester, it became clear that the answer to that foundational question was already, in many ways, self-evident. What intrigued me more and ultimately shaped the direction of my interview with Professor David Carroll was a more nuanced inquiry: How exactly is AI a different kind of threat, and what must democracy do to survive it? This question opened the door to a range of interconnected topics, many of which I explored during our conversation.
When I began this project, I didn’t have a single, clearly defined research question in mind. The closest I came was the broad and pressing concern: Is AI a threat to democracy? However, after engaging with the readings and discussions throughout the semester, it became clear that the answer to that foundational question was already, in many ways, self-evident. What intrigued me more and ultimately shaped the direction of my interview with Professor David Carroll was a more nuanced inquiry: How exactly is AI a different kind of threat, and what must democracy do to survive it? This question opened the door to a range of interconnected topics, many of which I explored during our conversation.
When I began this project, I didn’t have a single, clearly defined research question in mind. The closest I came was the broad and pressing concern: Is AI a threat to democracy? However, after engaging with the readings and discussions throughout the semester, it became clear that the answer to that foundational question was already, in many ways, self-evident. What intrigued me more and ultimately shaped the direction of my interview with Professor David Carroll was a more nuanced inquiry: How exactly is AI a different kind of threat, and what must democracy do to survive it? This question opened the door to a range of interconnected topics, many of which I explored during our conversation.
Read The Paper
If you are interested to read the whole research paper I wrote after interview, please email me.
If you are interested to read the whole research paper I wrote after interview, please email me.
If you are interested to read the whole research paper I wrote after interview, please email me.