Artificial intelligence reshapes governance in ways that both strengthen and undermine democratic processes. On October 1, 2025, a webinar titled “Safeguarding Democracy and Elections in the Age of AI” brought together experts to examine AI’s dual impact on civic participation and electoral integrity, the risks of AI-enabled surveillance and disinformation, and practical frameworks for AI governance. Safer Internet Lab (SAIL) joined the discussion as a panelist.

The webinar was organized under the Team Europe Democracy (TED) initiative, a global program launched in December 2021 by Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen to advance democracy and human rights.

Jakob Rieken from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) opened the event, followed by two key presentations:

• “Safeguarding Democracy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” by Barbora Bukovska (ARTICLE 19)
  
• “Safeguarding Democracy: EU Development at the Nexus of Elections, Information Integrity, and Artificial Intelligence” by Thijs Heinmaa (I-IDEA)
  

Alia Yofira Karunian, SAIL’s Research Associate, joined the panel and shared insights on the intersection of AI and information disorder in Indonesia. She discussed how online buzzers use AI to generate and distribute mis/disinformation at scale, and outlined the ongoing need for regulatory reform in this space.

Alia highlighted three priorities:

• Building local capacity and digital literacy
  
• Strengthening media integrity
  
• Promoting research and knowledge exchange