A Cross-National Study to Promote Democratic Dialogue on Social Media Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (DemDialogueAI)

Lead-PI: Christopher Barrie, University of Oxford

Consortium: Christopher Bail, Duke University; Anikó Hannák, University of Zurich.

Funders: NSF, SNSF, UKRI

 

Summary:

There is broad concern that social media inhibits productive debate about politics— a cornerstone of democracy. Yet, few scholars have explored how social media platforms might be redesigned to counter such trends. This project proposes a cross-national study that employs generative artificial intelligence, agent-based models, and online experiments to identify how the algorithms that shape the information users see on social media could promote democratic norms, increase trust, and decrease polarization. The project aims to reveal how digital platforms can promote prosocial behaviour and bolster democratic trust, providing a model for future business leaders and policy makers who seek to regulate the social media industry.