Nathan Gardels argues that AI companies possess the infrastructure to conduct massive global public consultations on AI governance, with billions of users reachable simultaneously. He contends that historically, disruptive communication technologies have eventually become platforms for building social consensus, and AI could follow the same pattern if companies solicit genuine public input. Gardels calls on tech leaders at Anthropic, OpenAI, and Meta to implement multi-tiered deliberative processes, ranging from AI-mediated consultations to citizen assemblies, to help democratize AI governance. He argues that because no government is moving fast enough to address AI’s governance needs, tech companies are uniquely positioned to facilitate this kind of large-scale democratic participation.
