Artificial Intelligence (AI) could play an important role in strengthening the democratic power of media and journalism. AI could contribute to new ways of informing and engaging with citizens, creating a resilient public sphere and tackling problems such as disinformation, polarisation and fake news - provided we are able to design AI-driven applications with public values and the needs of citizens in mind. Research can make an important contribution to this goal. The AI, Media and Democracy ELSA Lab’s aim is to set up an experimental space and testbed for novel ways of applying AI in the media. Journalists, media professionals, designers, citizens, researchers and public and societal partners bring in their unique challenges in using AI in the media. The lab investigates possible and current uses of AI and explore its social, ethical, and legal implications. We will develop and test new AI in actual media production spaces. The findings from monitoring the development, use and impact of these tools will inform fundamental research on AI’s implications in the media ecosystem and democratic society. This way, the lab involves the entire knowledge creation value chain: from deeply conceptual research to participatory design, field testing and using the results as input for (theoretical and applied) research in computer science, law, ethics, social sciences and the humanities. The result will be cutting-edge research on how AI-driven applications in the media change the public sphere, civic engagement and economic competition, and how it can help solve problems such as disinformation, algorithmic bias and filter bubbles. In the lab, we will (co)-create new ethical and legal frameworks for responsible use of AI that align with fundamental rights, public values and the European regulatory framework. Ultimately, the lab aims at strengthening AI-driven innovation in support of Dutch national and local media's democratic function.
