AI as a Threat to Democratic Public Space: An Orwellian Analysis
This article explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming democratic public spaces, drawing on George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four as a powerful analytical lens. The study critically examines the convergence between Orwell’s dystopian vision—marked by total surveillance, propaganda, and the erosion of individual autonomy—and contemporary uses of AI in surveillance capitalism, predictive policing, content moderation, and data-driven social control. Modern AI systems risk replicating Orwellian mechanisms by shaping opinion, manipulating truth, and deterring dissent through algorithmic opacity and pervasive monitoring. The paper argues that reclaiming democracy in the age of AI requires a shift from profit- or control-driven models to socially accountable and ethically grounded systems. It advocates for democratic oversight, transparency, critical digital literacy, and inclusive policymaking to prevent Orwell’s dystopia from becoming reality. Ultimately, the article contends that democracy can only survive if public spaces—both physical and digital—remain open, participatory, and resistant to algorithmic domination.
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