Ever since Francis Fukuyama proclaimed the triumph of liberalism following the collapse of the Soviet Union – the so-called ‘red peril’ – many around the world celebrated liberalism as the ultimate victor over the ideological challenge posed by communism.
Rooted in Hegelian ideals, the prophetic rhythm of Fukuyama’s canonical ‘The End of History and the Last Man’ presented the liberal notions of individual liberty and the free market as a divine apex of human civilisation. However, the headwinds of Artificial Intelligence (AI) have challenged these notions by giving rise to algorithmic control at the expense of individual liberties and decision-making autonomy.
Classical liberals, notably Adam Smith, viewed individuals as indispensable drivers of the liberal economic engine. However, with the deep integration of AI into the capitalist market economy, the role of human involvement at the socioeconomic level is being fundamentally redefined.
As evidenced in the World Economic Forum’s report, AI is seemingly poised to wipe out 83 million jobs while creating 63 million with a net deficit of 14 million by 2028. From data entry to managerial roles, more than 3000 sectors are likely to be gulped by the transformative impact of AI algorithms. Similar trends were highlighted in a PEW Research report, which cautioned about AI’s groundbreaking potential to undermine human agency by prioritising algorithm-driven tools.
On top of that, technological advancement in AI threatens democratic processes and electoral integrity through the spread of manipulated content. As noted by the Global Risk Report 2024, AI-powered misinformation was regarded as a topmost threat in the global risk landscape. Most recently, the US presidential elections demonstrated how AI has amplified the partisan split through turbocharged deepfakes and satire.
A notable instance was Elon Musk’s posting of a deepfake visual, which showed Kamala Harris rejoicing in Biden’s decision to withdraw his candidacy, and crowning herself a ‘diversity hire.’ Although quickly debunked, the visual garnered 137 million views, showcasing AI’s power to enable large-scale political manipulation.
Advancements in AI have enabled malicious actors to undermine democratic trust and accountability, necessitating a reevaluation of Fukuyama’s assertion that democracy represents the ultimate endpoint of human civilisation. While his thesis highlighted liberalism’s triumph over fascism and communism, it did not anticipate the emerging threat posed by AI algorithms in eroding individual autonomy within democratic systems.
Tools like chatbots, digital holograms, and deepfakes have infiltrated electoral and political processes, jeopardising the foundational principles of liberal philosophy – individual liberty, democratic freedom, accountability, and informed consent.
The concentration of information within a few tech giants increasingly undermines Abraham Lincoln’s celebrated maxim: 'government of the people, by the people, for the people’. Instead, it is giving rise to a system where a small group of digital titans controls vast amounts of information, consolidating power in the hands of the few.
To survive this algorithmic tsunami, democratic societies must enact effective checks to protect liberal democratic values. Ensuring vigorous governance is a prerequisite to maintaining democratic trust, attribution, accountability, and individual involvement in political procedures. As one analyst noted, integrating human oversight is crucial to ensure that intelligent systems are not only technically competent but also aligned with ethical and social codes. In other words, making citizens effective stakeholders is vital to ensure the perseverance of individual autonomy and forging trust between technology and society.
Liberal democracies have shown resilience to external and internal shockwaves through multiple ebbs and flows of history. The onus is now on governments to exhibit a symbiotic evolution to navigate the choppy waters of technological progress and political uncertainty. To say the least, it requires the creation of an AI-ordered new social contract by situating it in the existing political and governance frameworks.
Regardless of the path taken, one thing is certain: if not regulated, AI is prone to trigger a new ‘end of history’. The real question is: amid the pulse of the digital age, who will assume the role of Fukuyama in reorienting the liberal political compass to navigate the tsunami of algorithms, steering it toward a tranquil beach?
The writer is a research assistant at the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies, Islamabad. He can be reached at: cass.thinkers@casstt.com
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