Habermas Machine – a Mediator or an Arbiter ?

 

Context :

AI tool helps people with opposing views find common ground  ..  Nature … 17 Oct 2024

 

Summary  by  ChatGPT :

The article highlights the development of an AI-powered tool called the "Habermas Machine" by Google DeepMind, aimed at helping people with opposing views find common ground. This AI tool, based on a fine-tuned version of DeepMind’s large language model (LLM) called Chinchilla, was designed to synthesize and summarize diverse opinions in online discussion groups. Named after the philosopher Jürgen Habermas, who theorized about using rational discourse to resolve conflicts, the tool was tested in an experiment involving 439 UK residents. These participants were divided into smaller groups and asked to discuss three questions related to UK public policy.

The AI was tasked with generating overarching summaries that combined the group members' diverse viewpoints into cohesive statements. Participants were then asked to critique and rank these statements, with the AI refining the summaries based on their feedback. A human mediator in each group also produced a summary to represent the group's views, providing a basis for comparison. When participants rated the AI-generated summaries against those by the human mediators, 56% preferred the AI’s work, while 44% favored the human-written summaries. External reviewers also evaluated the summaries, giving higher ratings to the AI-generated ones for fairness, clarity, and quality.

Additionally, the researchers conducted a virtual citizens' assembly using the AI tool, involving a demographically representative group from the UK population. In this setting, the tool helped increase group agreement on several contentious issues, indicating its potential to enhance real-world deliberative processes and support the creation of inclusive policy proposals.

Experts see the Habermas Machine as a promising development, with potential applications in democratic processes, such as citizens' assemblies, to scale up and streamline group discussions. However, they caution that removing human moderators could diminish the value of face-to-face interaction and the relational aspects of debate. Concerns were also raised about the AI’s potential to unintentionally amplify extremist views if not properly managed. The study’s authors emphasize the importance of conducting further research to understand AI’s societal impact fully and recommend proceeding with caution to mitigate any negative consequences.

This research, published in Science on 17 October 2024, demonstrates the potential of AI tools like the Habermas Machine to assist in complex deliberations, suggesting they could be used to address pressing social and political issues efficiently.

My Questions :

This made me wonder :

Can such an AI tool ( after some context-specific improvements ) become capable to bring about a CONSENSUS of view-points on Policy Matters, among political parties , each having different approaches to solution of problems ?  

For example , what would ChatGPT come up with if it were to compare the above mentioned article about “ Habermas Machine “ , with the summary of my following blogs ( sent to India’s Cabinet Ministers as emails ) ?

Would ChatGPT see a possibility of using  a vastly improved Habermas Machine to resolve the differences between different political parties , to bring about a CONSENSUS , leading to institutionalization of coalition government ?

 

Blogs on Coalition Government :

Ø  A Constitutional Coalition Government ?  .. …………………….02 Oct 2016

 

Ø  NEEDED : URGENT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT  ……. 03 Oct 2016

 

Ø  Constitutional Coalition Aftershocks ! …………………………….. 03 Oct 2016

 

Ø  Presidential or Coalition Government ?  .. ……………………….25 Mar 2017

 

Ø  Revolution Through Coalition Government ?  ……………….. 27 Sept 2017

 

Ø  Why can’t we institutionalize Coalition ?  ………………………..29 Sept 2017

 

Following is the summary of these blogs, prepared by ChatGPT :

Here’s a summary of the suggestions made across the blogs regarding the idea of a Constitutional Coalition Government:

1. Redefining Opposition:

• Rename the opposition as "Facilitating Parties" to promote a mindset shift from opposing the government to finding common ground.
• Focus on areas of agreement instead of disagreements to facilitate constructive collaboration.

2. Proportional Representation in the Cabinet:

• Implement a Constitutional Amendment to allocate ministerial positions to political parties based on their proportion of seats in the Lok Sabha.
• Increase the cabinet size to 20% of the Lok Sabha strength, resulting in around 100 ministers.
• Distribute these positions proportionally (e.g., BJP: 52 ministers, INC: 9, etc.), giving each party a sense of participation.

3. Benefits of a Constitutional Coalition:

• Ensures all parties have a stake in governance, leading to increased responsibility and constructive behavior.
• Eliminates the concept of opposition and prevents "Vote of No Confidence" scenarios, allowing governments to complete their full term.
• Facilitates quicker passage of budgets and bills due to unified support within the coalition.
• Improves Lok Sabha attendance and productivity, with shorter, more polite debates.

4. Introducing Accountability Mechanisms:

• Propose a mobile app, "ROMP" (Recall Our Member of Parliament), allowing voters to recall underperforming MPs, reducing party strength and ministerial positions if they fail to perform.
• Suggest candidates sign a "Charter of Demand" during elections, uploaded to the Election Commission website, to ensure transparency and accountability.

5. Drawing Inspiration from Other Systems:

• Cite the German coalition system, suggesting that India institutionalizes a similar method where all parties receive ministerial positions automatically.
• Highlight how this approach can eliminate the need for constant negotiations and political maneuvering seen in traditional coalition governments.

6. Opportunity for Major Reform:

• In the event of an overwhelming BJP majority (e.g., 67% seats), propose that the BJP initiates this Constitutional Coalition as a "revolutionary" gesture of inclusivity, demonstrating the party’s commitment to "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas."

7. Promoting Economic Growth:

• Reference former RBI Governor YV Reddy’s statement on how coalition governments, which build consensus on policies, can be more beneficial for economic growth than majority governments.
• Use historical data from India’s economic growth under coalition governments as evidence of the potential benefits of such a system.

The overall theme across the blogs advocates for a transformative approach to governance in India, suggesting a coalition structure that ensures participation, accountability, and collaborative decision-making.