London: A Forum on Artificial Intelligence and Democracy, in London – an initiative born from the collaboration of the Hellenic Tech Network and the Board of British Cypriots – seeks to answer the question of whether democratic values can keep pace with technological power.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the forum examines how democratic values can guide the development of Artificial Intelligence and how AI can influence democratic processes. It also explores ways to promote and deepen public understanding of AI, ensuring it does not remain a powerful tool accessible only to the privileged few.
At the first forum, held last week at the House of Commons in the UK, speakers included Professor of Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge Andreas Vlachos; senior advisor at the Tony Blair Institute Yiannis Theodorou; Director of ‘The Democracy Index, Economist Intelligence Unit’ Joan Hoey; Professor of International Conflict Analysis at the University of Warwick Neophytos Loizides; and CEH of the Hellenic Tech Network Louis Loizou.
In his speech, Loizou noted that Europe is following a preventive strategy toward artificial intelligence with the AI Act, contrasting with the United States, which he said adopts a ‘lighter-touch’ regulatory approach. The European line aims to ensure AI serves the public interest, avoiding past mistakes, Loizou clarified.
He also stressed that artificial intelligence can enhance thought and creativity, not just convenience. To fully harness this potential, it is essential to address ‘AI illiteracy’ both at the cognitive-technical level and in terms of ethical use.
Finally, he emphasised that technology must incorporate principles of transparency, participation, and justice so that it serves human beings and protects their integrity. ‘Democracy,’ he said, ‘is humanity’s most successful operating system, and Artificial Intelligence must function within this framework.’
The event was hosted by Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale, with the participation of the High Commissioner of Cyprus in London, Dr. Kyriakos Kouros. Notably, on behalf of the Board of British Cypriots, contributions were made by Doros Partasides and Professor Elias Dinenis.
The forum is planning to travel next to Athens, then to the University of Cyprus in Nicosia, and from there to Brussels and Washington.