A new essay series, "Rewiring Democracy," is exploring real-world applications of democratic technologies, with the latest installment focusing on civic AI initiatives in Scotland. The series, co-authored by Nathan E. Sanders, is published on The Renovator.
The "Rewiring Democracy" series delves into various global examples of how technology intersects with democratic processes. The initial part of the series examined Team Mirai, a digital democracy political party based in Japan.
The second essay in the series shifted focus to Switzerland, detailing the development and implementation of Apertus, a public AI model. This explored how AI is being utilized within a civic context in the country.
Following this, the third part of the series highlighted the work of civic technologists associated with Open Knowledge Brazil, showcasing their contributions to democratic technology within the South American nation.
The most recent addition, Part 4, published on September 1, 2026, investigates the role of civic AI in Scotland. This installment continues the series' exploration of how artificial intelligence and other technological advancements are being leveraged to enhance or transform democratic participation and governance. The series broadly covers topics related to AI, democracy, and large language models (LLMs).
