Featuring the work of world-renowned thought leaders, The Digitalist Papers explore how we can successfully harness AI and other emerging technologies to preserve and enhance democratic institutions
Today, Project Liberty Institute (PLI) is proud to announce the launch of The Digitalist Papers, an initiative led by the Stanford Digital Economy Lab and a cornerstone of the Institute’s collaboration with Stanford University. The essays that make up The Digitalist Papers offer diverse, insightful views on how our society may change due to the growing digitalization of everyday life. Curated by leading academic figures Erik Brynjolfsson, Alex “Sandy” Pentland, Nathaniel Persily, and Condoleezza Rice, The Digitalist Papers features the work of 19 experts from across the fields of economics, politics, law, and technology, including thought leaders like Reid Hoffman, Jennifer Pahlka, and Audrey Tang, who is also a Senior Fellow at Project Liberty Institute and Taiwan’s first Digital Minister.
Modeled after the Federalist Papers, a collection of more than 85 writings published in the 1780s that advocated for ratification of the United States Constitution, The Digitalist Papers argues for different governance frameworks for our digital future that will revolutionize and reinvent democratic institutions to flourish throughout this new era.
“We in democratic societies sit at a critical juncture in the trajectory of our history and identity as free people, where the use of individuals’ data for AI and other digital technologies presents both limitless possibilities and immeasurable threats to our cherished institutions and human rights,” said Frank McCourt, founder of Project Liberty. “We need to start thinking of our data as personhood and treating it as we would any other human right. The Project Liberty Institute aims to foster a global network of the most innovative thinkers on technology for the common good – and The Digitalist Papers is a prime example of using technical expertise and research to lay the groundwork for solutions that are so urgently needed.”
The Digitalist Papers focus on four key areas of discussion: U.S. democracy foundation transformations, AI’s role in government and governance, AI and regulation, and comprehensive and inclusive democratic action.
“We have institutions designed in the 18th and 19th centuries using technology from the 20th century to solve 21st-century problems. That status quo is neither desirable nor sustainable,” said Tomicah Tillemann, Interim CEO of Project Liberty Institute. “Democratic institutions must be equipped to adapt to the rapid evolution of innovations like AI; and The Digitalist Papers is laying a foundation that will enable democracies to harness emerging technologies for progress, rather than leaving open societies vulnerable to the unique challenges that come with rapid innovation. Project Liberty Institute is proud to support this critical work by Stanford’s Digital Economy Lab.”
“This project reflects Stanford Digital Economy Lab’s longstanding mission to bring together interdisciplinary researchers and experts to help stakeholders in government and beyond to address the challenges and opportunities presented by this new digital world,” said Erik Brynjolfsson, Director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. “The impact of having the support of Project Liberty enables us to amplify our findings and pursue the exploration of these topics.”
Stanford University joined the Project Liberty Institute as a founding partner alongside Georgetown University and the Institute’s global alliance of academic institutions and civic organizations in June of 2023, with the goal of advancing a more responsible approach to digital technology worldwide.
The launch of The Digitalist Papers was also supported by the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, Stanford Cyber Policy Center, and the Hoover Institution.
To learn more about The Digitalist Papers or to purchase a copy, visit www.digitalistpapers.com