FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Book Explores AI’s Transformative Impact on Democracy
September 5, 2025 – Security technologist Bruce Schneier and Harvard University’s Nathan Sanders announce the upcoming publication of rewiring Democracy: How AI will Transform our Politics, Government, and Citizenship, released by MIT Press on October 21.
The book examines the multifaceted effects of artificial intelligence on democratic systems, moving beyond concerns about deepfakes to analyze AI’s potential influence on politics, legislation, government governance, the judiciary, and citizenship. Rewiring Democracy assesses both the positive and negative implications of AI, including its role in perhaps strengthening or undermining democratic processes.Schneier and Sanders emphasize the importance of considering the “second-order effects” of AI technologies and envisioning a range of possible futures to proactively shape desired outcomes. The authors advocate for the growth of ”public AI”-AI systems created for the public good, rather than driven by for-profit interests, as outlined in a related Brookings Institution article.
Written during and following the 2024 US presidential campaign and the initial months of a second Trump administration, the book aims for a broad perspective, acknowledging current realities without centering solely on the American political landscape.
Signed copies will be available directly from Bruce Schneier, currently a visiting scholar at the Munk School at the University of Toronto, beginning October 22, with a second mailing prospect on November 25.
More information, including the publisher’s summary, table of contents, and blurbs, can be found at https://www.schneier.com/books/rewiring-democracy/.
