Social media, which was expected to encourage participation and foster goodwill, is amplifying hate and threatening democracy.

Social media driven by artificial intelligence algorithms is causing conflict and division around the world, destroying the bonds between individuals and within society. The reality we face is moving away from valuable connections based on communication and participation.

 In the era of generative AI, AI not only can make autonomous judgments and decisions but also has the ability to generate an endless stream of plausible information. Information is rapidly flooding the internet, and the truth is increasingly at risk of being buried.

 The ‘January 6 Capitol riot’ in the United States, where supporters of Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in anger over his election defeat, and the ‘2025 Seoul Western District Court riot’ in South Korea, where supporters of Yoon Suk-yeol protested his impeachment, share striking similarities. Across the globe, social media platforms like YouTube are fuelling extremism and polarisation, with misinformation and disinformation spreading rampantly. Truth is being distorted, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve social consensus. Far-right forces are attacking public institutions such as the legislature, judiciary, and media, undermining the rule of law, and rejecting universal values that have been established through decades of consensus.

 Democracy is based on a public forum where individuals with diverse thoughts and opinions reach consensus on public issues through deliberation, but rapidly advancing digital technology is threatening this public sphere. In the competition between platform companies, extreme content that incites hatred and fear is gaining ground. The emergence of generative AI, which allows for free customised creation, is likely to further accelerate this trend.

 In the age of generative AI, what institutional mechanisms are needed to restore a public sphere for dialogue and consensus based on common facts? What should governments, companies, and citizens do to ensure transparent and trustworthy algorithms, rather than opaque and incomprehensible algorithms that control people? How can digital technology be used to enhance democracy?