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Optipolitics : Is Politics an Optimization Problem?

Stenseke, Jakob LU (2025) In Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence and Applications 397. p.563-575
Abstract
Can AI ‘solve’ politics? In this paper, I explore optipolitics, i.e., the idea that politics along with other complex social issues can be framed as mathematical optimization problems and solved as such. I begin by describing politics, optimization, and some reasons for applying the latter to the former. I then present a liberal democratic version of optipolitics and try to defend it against eight fundamental challenges. While I concede that none of the challenges can be satisfactorily overcome at present, many can be shown to be at least as difficult to overcome in conventional representative democracy. Most importantly, as a logical endpoint of AI-driven technocracy, I argue that optipolitics can serve as a useful starting-point for a... (More)
Can AI ‘solve’ politics? In this paper, I explore optipolitics, i.e., the idea that politics along with other complex social issues can be framed as mathematical optimization problems and solved as such. I begin by describing politics, optimization, and some reasons for applying the latter to the former. I then present a liberal democratic version of optipolitics and try to defend it against eight fundamental challenges. While I concede that none of the challenges can be satisfactorily overcome at present, many can be shown to be at least as difficult to overcome in conventional representative democracy. Most importantly, as a logical endpoint of AI-driven technocracy, I argue that optipolitics can serve as a useful starting-point for a critical debate about the future of democratic governance in the age of machines. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Social Robots with AI: Prospects, Risks, and Responsible Methods : Proceedings of Robophilosophy 2024 19–23 August 2024, Aarhus University, Denmark, and online - Proceedings of Robophilosophy 2024 19–23 August 2024, Aarhus University, Denmark, and online
series title
Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence and Applications
editor
Seibt, Johanna ; Fazekas, Peter and Santiago Quick, Oliver
volume
397
pages
563 - 575
publisher
IOS Press
ISSN
0922-6389
1879-8314
ISBN
978-1-64368-567-0
978-1-64368-568-7
DOI
10.3233/FAIA241544
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c5171749-72ed-4fa5-8fa3-01b4bc203170
date added to LUP
2025-02-18 12:56:16
date last changed
2025-04-14 09:52:33
@inbook{c5171749-72ed-4fa5-8fa3-01b4bc203170,
  abstract     = {{Can AI ‘solve’ politics? In this paper, I explore optipolitics, i.e., the idea that politics along with other complex social issues can be framed as mathematical optimization problems and solved as such. I begin by describing politics, optimization, and some reasons for applying the latter to the former. I then present a liberal democratic version of optipolitics and try to defend it against eight fundamental challenges. While I concede that none of the challenges can be satisfactorily overcome at present, many can be shown to be at least as difficult to overcome in conventional representative democracy. Most importantly, as a logical endpoint of AI-driven technocracy, I argue that optipolitics can serve as a useful starting-point for a critical debate about the future of democratic governance in the age of machines.}},
  author       = {{Stenseke, Jakob}},
  booktitle    = {{Social Robots with AI: Prospects, Risks, and Responsible Methods : Proceedings of Robophilosophy 2024 19–23 August 2024, Aarhus University, Denmark, and online}},
  editor       = {{Seibt, Johanna and Fazekas, Peter and Santiago Quick, Oliver}},
  isbn         = {{978-1-64368-567-0}},
  issn         = {{0922-6389}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{563--575}},
  publisher    = {{IOS Press}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence and Applications}},
  title        = {{Optipolitics : Is Politics an Optimization Problem?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/FAIA241544}},
  doi          = {{10.3233/FAIA241544}},
  volume       = {{397}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}