Datafeudalism and Democracy: The Domination of Big Tech Corporations in the Age of Generative AI

Abstract

This doctoral thesis examines the adverse effects stemming from the transformation of digital giants’ socio-economic model —from surveillance capitalism to datafeudalism— and from the rapid emergence and popularisation of generative AI (GenAI) tools on European Union (EU) democratic systems. The research pursues three interrelated objectives. Firstly, it applies a hermeneutic-critical methodological framework to analyse the global system of social, economic, and political domination established by big tech corporations and its detrimental consequences for the proper functioning of EU democracies. Secondly, it examines the dangers posed by the emergence and strategic use of GenAI to the existence of an autonomous and authentic public sphere and to the formation of a critical and mature public opinion. Thirdly, it proposes a set of guidelines aimed at mitigating these threats and enhancing the performance of EU democratic systems in a fair, transparent, responsible, and explainable manner.