Search

Home > 1A > 'If You Can Keep It': A.I. And Our Democracy
Podcast: 1A
Episode:

'If You Can Keep It': A.I. And Our Democracy

Category: News & Politics
Duration: 00:40:36
Publish Date: 2026-02-16 18:24:41
Description: Most Americans now get at least some of their news from social media. But these days, the internet can seem less a place for humans to connect and more a playground for AI-powered bots.

One estimate found around 20 percent of accounts on social media are automated, while another study found that, for controversial topics, nearly half of the posts could be bot–generated.

Experts are sounding the alarm. Large-scale automated social media campaigns could threaten our democracy and the next presidential election.

We know conversations we have online can influence how we experience this political moment, but what happens when bad actors fan the flames with AI-generated photos, bot campaigns, and misinformation?

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
Total Play: 0

Some more Podcasts by NPR

3K+ Episodes
NPR News Now 20+     300+
1K+ Episodes
Up First     90+
200+ Episodes
Embedded    
200+ Episodes
100+ Episodes
Invisibilia     4
200+ Episodes
40+ Episodes
Believed    
100+ Episodes
StoryCorps     3