The Chinese Communist Party runs the world’s most advanced surveillance network to monitor its citizens and quash dissent. DeepSeek’s new frontier AI model is the CCP’s most powerful tool yet for surveillance and control. In a new Journal of Democracy online exclusive, Valentin Weber explains why generative AI is lowering the cost of repression and raising the danger for the world.
The following Journal of Democracy essays show how authoritarian governments leverage emerging tech to enhance repression and control. Read free for a limited time.
Why DeepSeek Is So Dangerous
The Chinese Communist Party’s newest AI advance is making repression smarter, cheaper, and more deadly. Even worse, they aim to export it to the world.
Valentin WeberHow Autocrats Weaponize AI — And How to Fight Back
Artificial Intelligence has become autocrats’ newest tool for surveilling, targeting, and crushing dissent. But this supercharged technology doesn’t need to favor tyrants. Activists must learn how to harness it in the fight for freedom.
Albert CevallosThe Real Dangers of Generative AI
Advanced AI faces twin perils: the collapse of democratic control over key state functions or the concentration of political and economic power in the hands of the few. Avoiding these risks will require new ways of governing.
Danielle Allen and E. Glen WeylThe Cutting Edge of Sharp Power
Democratic societies must address the spread of technology developed in authoritarian settings while continuing to uphold democratic norms.
Christopher Walker, Shanthi Kalathil, and Jessica LudwigSubversion Inc: The Age of Private Espionage
International spying and digital subversion used to be the province of governments. Now anyone who has the cash can order hi-tech snooping and surveillance. This is a threat to the future of freedom.
Ronald J. DeibertThe Threat of Postmodern Totalitarianism
There is a growing sense today that democrats worldwide are in a race against time to prevent cyberspace from becoming an arena for surveillance, control, and manipulation.
Larry DiamondPresident Xi’s Surveillance State
Chinese authorities are wielding facial-recognition software, big-data analytics, and other digital technologies to control China’s citizens by monitoring and assessing their activities, both online and off.
Xiao Qiang
Subscribe here to have curated collections like this one and other Journal of Democracy news delivered directly to your inbox.
Image credit: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images