This article discusses the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the lobbying process and the creation of microlegislation. It highlights how AI could be used by lobbyists to create and promote legislation that favors specific interests. The article emphasizes the need for regulation and transparency in lobbying practices to prevent the misuse of AI. It suggests reducing the reliance on omnibus bills, strengthening disclosure requirements for lobbyists, and implementing reforms to prevent conflicts of interest. The authors argue that while AI can amplify existing advantages in lobbying, it can also be used to support policymakers in making equitable decisions.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI could write laws | AI-driven lobbying | Increased guilefulness of lobbying | Advancements in AI technology |
| Lobbying strategies becoming more sneaky | Difficulty in identifying beneficiaries | Increased opacity in legislative outcomes | Desire to tilt rules in favor of specific groups |
| Microlegislation as a potential tool | More effective and widespread microlegislation | More targeted and impactful lobbying | Desire to pass legislation favorable to narrow interests |
| AI-assisted impact assessment | AI systems assessing policy implications | More accurate prediction of policy outcomes | Improved AI capabilities in impact assessment |
| AI as a lobbying strategizer | AI models analyzing legislative networks | More effective lobbying strategies | Better understanding of legislative networks |
| AI tools enabling automatic generation of microlegislation | Instantaneous and cheap generation of microlegislation | Increased scope and scale of microlegislation | Advancements in AI technology |
| Need for human lobbyists for access and financing | AI tools cannot provide access and financing | Continued influence of influential and wealthy lobbyists | Limitations of AI technology |
| Recommendations for combating AI-assisted lobbying | Reducing dependence on omnibus bills | Strengthening disclosure requirements on lobbyists | Maintaining and enforcing reform ideas |
| Risks of AI development in lobbying | Rapid advancements in AI technology | Evolution of lobbying strategies | Pace of AI development |