The Political Philosophy of AI

While there is attention to the ethical issues raised by Artificial intelligence (AI), there is very little philosophical work on the politics of AI. The issues people care about in political and societal discussions such as racism, climate change and (threats to) democracy take on a new urgency and meaning in the light of technological developments such as AI and robotics. How can we talk about AI and important political issues such as inequality and the danger of totalitarianism while moving beyond mere warnings and easy accusations? How can we do justice to both the insight that these technologies are not politically neutral and the complexity of the normative problems they pose?

The Political Philosophy of AI is the first book to offer an accessible introduction to the political challenges related to AI and its (potential) use. Using political philosophy as a unique lens through which to explore key debates in the area, the book shows how various political issues are already impacted by emerging AI technologies: from justice and discrimination to democracy and surveillance. Revealing the inherently political nature of technology, the book offers a rich conceptual toolbox to guide efforts to deal with the challenges raised by what turns out to be not only artificial intelligence but also artificial power.

This timely and original book will appeal to students and scholars in philosophy of technology and political philosophy, as well as tech developers, innovation leaders, policy makers, and anyone interested in the impact of technology on society.