Event Recap: The AI Revolution with Audrey Tang

Hi Intriguer!

A big thank you to everyone who joined us last week for our webinar, The Future of Democracy in the Age of AI.

With exclusive insights from Taiwanese Ambassador-at-Large and former Digital Minister Audrey Tang and moderated by Intrigue’s co-founder Helen Zhang, the conversation focused on the opportunities and dangers posed by the ongoing AI revolution.

If you weren’t among the over 300 registrants, don’t worry (managing the timezones between the US and Asia is notoriously difficult!), we’ve posted the full conversation to YouTube. Or if you’re short on time, check out our summary below!

Our deepest thanks to Audrey for giving up her time, and to you, our wonderful Intrigue community for your interest and support of our work.

Best regards,

- Team Intrigue

📣 THE CONVERSATION  

The Ambassador-at-Large shared her insights on a whole range of issues relating to the AI revolution, which we’ll dive into here. 

What’s radical transparency? 

• It’s about opening up the why and the how of policymaking, Tang told Intrigue, giving citizens the opportunity to take a look at what the government does up close and building a conduit of trust.

How does Taiwan tackle online disinformation campaigns?

• Disinformation campaigns against Taiwan took a turn for the worse around 2015, when social media platforms started shifting their algorithms to praise engagement for engagement’s sake. That’s when, Tang argues, our attention could be sold to the highest bidder, be that authoritarian propagandists or average scammers.

• The conversation around online censorship is particularly sensitive in Taiwan, where people lived through decades of martial law, so the trick is to figure out a way to fight back against authoritarian propaganda without becoming authoritarian. The trick, the ambassador-at-large said, is working on prevention rather than cure.

How will AI change democracy?

• AI isn’t necessarily pro-democracy, it can be used to promote hyperpolarised information or sway elections, the former Digital Minister told Intrigue. However, it can also be used to enhance the collective when it is used as an assistive tool.

• There’s a constant fight within democracies to uphold the core values we fought for during the in-person era, but in the digital world, these values aren’t protected by default physical laws. Its key democracies learn how to protect themselves from the bottom up.

Are chip export controls putting Taiwan at risk? 

• Tang believes the US export controls on advanced semiconductors to China are part of a larger movement of digital solidarity between democracies, which overrides the potential security cost of reducing Beijing’s reliance on Taiwan.

Any parting advice? 

• Young people should never underestimate what they can contribute to society as a sort of ‘reverse mentor’. Their fluency in digital and global issues is badly needed.

🗓️ INTERNATIONAL INTRIGUE EVENTS

If you enjoyed this program, stay tuned for more webinars this year. We’re excited to bring you more digital events with the Intrigue twist, offering global insights through engaging, expert-driven discussions.

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