In February 2025, Aspen Digital hosted a roundtable to discuss the impact of technology on systemically marginalized communities and their place in a thriving democracy. A follow-up to our Algorithmic Suppression convening in August 2024, this meeting brought together leaders from civil rights and community-serving organizations, academics, civil society, top tech companies, and groundbreaking AI startups. Though we came from diverse backgrounds we shared a common belief: that building an inclusive future relies on collaboration between communities and those on the cutting edge of innovation.
Community leaders have much to learn about emerging tech, especially when it comes to navigating the myths versus the reality on the ground. The lack of contextual understanding for how these technologies actually work can keep communities at arm’s length from the product development lifecycle, even when those products can have an outsized impact on their lives. Roundtable participants agreed that closing this gap is essential for not just improving products for all users, but for the preservation of democratic rights and civic engagement.
A few insights from the discussions include:
- While AI generally had less of an impact on the 2024 election cycle than predicted, many individual communities in the room shared how they were affected by micro-targeted voter suppression and misinformation campaigns that were supercharged by AI tools. Read Aspen Digital’s “The First AI Elections” analysis here.
- Many communities harbor mistrust in both tech companies and democratic institutions. Future collaboration must rebuild that trust, acknowledge past and current harms, and approach engagement between tech and communities with humility and an understanding that expertise is a two-way street.
- Both tech and community leaders are doing great work on both sides of the divide to strengthen civil and democratic rights, but the lack of a reliable mechanism for collaboration makes it feel like we must reinvent the wheel every election cycle, with only sporadic engagement in the meantime.
- Communities are often unsure how and with whom to engage at tech companies, sometimes defaulting to public affairs teams when conversations with actual product teams are most needed
Five of our participants have shared their reflections on what a meaningful collaboration between the tech industry and excluded communities might look like.
- Professor Sherrilyn Ifill spoke passionately about the necessity for tech companies to have clear positions on the preservation of democracy and to help create a virtual “public square” that works collaboratively with communities.
- Andrew E. Brennen discussed the role technology played with Gen-Z during the 2024 election and steps to improve the relationship between younger communities, technology and democracy.
- Manar Waheed stressed the need for communities to take a balanced approach to engaging tech companies that involves both direct conversations and principled advocacy.
- Ariana Aboulafia spoke on the importance of including experiences, perspectives and expertise from the disabled to community to make technology fit for purpose and minimize risks to systemically marginalized communities.
- TB Bardlavens focused on the need to close the gap between policy and practice when it comes to involving communities in the actual development of tech products.