The future of parliaments

Context

What will AI mean for the functioning of parliaments? Today, we are at the very beginning of a change. No one can know with certainty where this journey will end. This observation holds true for parliaments themselves.

Parliaments are starting to make use of AI to work more efficiently, for example to create and publish records of parliamentary debates more quickly than before. Some parliamentarians are starting to use AI to support their work, for example to summarize the vast amounts of information they are expected to deal with or to facilitate communication with constituents. Given that AI is rapidly evolving and is expected to have a transformative impact on society, what are the scenarios for its impact on the work of parliaments in the future? 

Description

Through a moderated round table followed by a plenary debate, participants will explore Parliamentary AI Futures: 2040 Scenarios for Discussion  through questions such as:

• • Which scenarios seem most plausible?

  • How far should parliaments trust AI systems with their core functions – representation, lawmaking and oversight – and what limits, if any, are essential to preserve democratic legitimacy?

  • In the face of rapid technological change and unpredictable social attitudes, what principles should guide parliamentary leaders and citizens in choosing between ambitious AI integration and deliberate restraint?

  • In a world of unequal AI capacity across parliaments, how can global democratic norms be maintained? Or is the future inevitably more fragmented, with some societies enjoying radically better governance than others?

  • What should parliaments do to prepare for the future?

Organization

• Introduction to Parliamentary AI Futures: 2040 Scenarios for Discussion

• Round-table discussion

• Debate