Recommendation 3: Strengthen Ethical AI, Democratic Oversight, and Accountability

Mandate rights-based ethical guidelines for the use of Machine Learning and Generative AI in public services, ensuring direct oversight and coherence across the EU.

Establish democratic oversight and robust algorithmic accountability through independent audits, accessible transparency measures, and democratic representation in AI governance.

Promote Democracy-in-the-Loop (DITL) frameworks for AI development and deployment in public services. DITL integrates public deliberation, societal inputs, and evolving democratic principles to ensure AI systems remain transparent, accountable, and aligned with community values.

Experience discussed at recent OIDP meetings on the issue have shown that people appreciate AI in democratic practices, especially when they are a central tool - but in hybrid contexts were inputs and outputs are elaborated and carefully controlled by humans, rather than under the control of a “black box”.