Digital Democracy

At the Center for Collective Learning, our work on augmented and digital democracy explores how data, computation, and collective intelligence can strengthen democratic decision-making. We study democracy not only as an institution, but as a social learning system that through deliberation and participation aggregates knowledge, preferences, and values across diverse populations.

Our research develops methods to enhance these processes using modern tools: AI-assisted deliberation systems, large-scale preference aggregation, digital participation platforms, and models that reveal how information flows through societies. We examine how technologies can reduce cognitive bottlenecks, expand representation, and help citizens and policymakers navigate complex choices without sacrificing legitimacy, transparency, or agency.

Our work also focuses on the acceptability of technology, and the factors affecting how people judge AI and other digital augmentation tools. We have conducted large scale experiments focused on understanding how people perceive machines actions compared to humans and why they judge them differently.

Today this work is supported by the ADDI project, an ERC synergy award that we share with colleagues from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, University of Turku in Finland, and the University of Toulouse Capitole. Our goal is to create systems that empower citizens, make policymaking more responsive, and build trust through more inclusive and informed participation.

For students and researchers, CCL offers an opportunity to combine computational social science, political theory, and AI to rethink how democracies learn and adapt in the 21st century. Our work aims to demonstrate that technology, when used thoughtfully, can augment democracy rather than erode it—helping societies make better decisions together.

Our work builds on our vast experience in the design and implementation of complex online platforms. This expertise allows us to take an active approach to research on digital democracy, where we can learn through the design, implementation, and deployment, of digital platforms. Using on the ground, and controlled experiments, we are helping develop a solid understanding of how digital tools can augment and support the ideals of democracy.