According to *Is AI the Enemy of Democracy?* by University of Vienna philosopher Mark Coeckelbergh, AI carries the risk of dismantling democracy from within. What steps must humans take to utilize AI as a “commons”—a shared good that benefits everyone? (Kei Kitajima)

Reclaiming “individual freedom,” “individuality,” and “diversity”—
These are values ​​that form the bedrock of democracy. Yet, it is somewhat surprising that we have reached an era where we must loudly champion them. This fact alone illustrates the critical state in which democracy currently finds itself.
According to the “Democracy Index” published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), democracy has been in steady decline for the past eight years. While the latest report—the “Democracy Index 2025” (released in April 2026)—indicates a slight recovery, the crisis remains severe; notably, the democratic system of the United States—long revered as a global leader of democracy—has experienced a regression.
Political polarization and widening inequality are frequently cited as reasons for this democratic decline.
Other contributing factors include the spread of social media, which fosters an undemocratic climate where people connect only with those who share their views while regarding others as enemies. There is also a view that the use of technologies like AI to obstruct constructive debate or undermine fair elections is eroding the very foundations of democracy.
Democracy is a precious system, yet it is also fragile; if not carefully nurtured, it can easily collapse. Evidence of this lies in the many nations that have aspired to democracy only to falter along the way, reverting to dictatorship or authoritarianism. Only about 40 percent of the world’s nations can be described as democracies—however imperfectly—and a mere 26 countries, including Japan, meet the criteria for “full democracy” as defined by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). This represents just 6.6 percent of the global population. Democracy has become a global minority, and there are signs that it will continue to decline if current trends persist.
Mark Coeckelbergh, a philosopher and professor at the University of Vienna, analyzes the threats AI poses to democratic processes, decision-making, and society in his book *Is AI the Enemy of Democracy?* (Seidosha). He points out that AI carries the risk of dismantling democracy from within and argues that AI itself is a political entity lacking neutrality.
With this in mind, the book explores a human-centric approach to AI and advocates for utilizing AI as a “commons”—a shared resource that benefits everyone.
Personally, I fully agree with this view; however, I believe that utilizing AI as a common good is extremely difficult under current circumstances. First, humans must establish the necessary foundation to make this possible. AI will not automatically create a human-centric framework or voluntarily act for the common good. Only when humans establish a human-centric foundation and clearly define the common good can AI be utilized to serve that purpose. Ultimately, it is up to humans whether AI becomes a force for good or destruction.
Coeckelbergh notes the danger of AI undermining democracy from within, but there is no smoke without fire: if AI is introduced into a democracy that is already crumbling, it will accelerate that collapse; if placed within a healthy democracy, it will reinforce that health. If AI is indeed a political entity lacking neutrality, it is bound to behave in precisely this manner. For instance, if AI were introduced into the current, crisis-ridden state of democracy, it would likely be used to incite social division and widen inequality by disseminating vast amounts of sophisticated disinformation. It could also lead to intensified surveillance of the populace and the exacerbation of discrimination and prejudice. Given that modern democracy is already fragile and susceptible to drifting toward dictatorship or authoritarianism, harnessing AI as a “common good” that benefits everyone is an immensely difficult challenge; realizing this goal requires people to possess a strong resolve and exert considerable effort.
In a country like Japan—often cited as a model of fully realized democracy—it might be possible to utilize AI for the common good, provided the nation could remain entirely self-contained and free from external influence.
However, from a geopolitical perspective, is it realistic to expect Japan to remain completely insulated from outside influence when it is surrounded by nations—such as Russia, China, and North Korea—that actively seek the collapse of democracy?

※Translating Japanese articles into English with AI