Politics took centre stage this year, with AI not only revolutionising the technology industry but also reshaping the political landscape in significant ways. Ahead of the European Parliament elections, PartyParty discovered a groundbreaking tool designed to simplify politics for both voters and professionals: Electify. This innovative platform makes political research more transparent, accessible and engaging, all with the support of Artificial Intelligence. It has the potential to make electoral choices better informed if it is widely used.
After the elections, we sat down with Anna Neifer, one of the founders and developers of Electify, to delve into the inspiration behind its creation, discuss the challenges facing the politics of today and explore the future of political technology.
Electify: simplifying political information
Electify is a robust informational aggregator tool designed to streamline access to political data from diverse parties across Germany. It addresses the challenge of navigating extensive and complex information by presenting it in an intuitive format, allowing individuals to easily locate and compare the positions of political parties on selected topics of interest.
Participants simply input their concerns, prompting the AI to scour through manifestos and speeches, which form the tool’s central database. By compiling such public data, Electify works its magic by delivering succinct summaries of where each party stands on the issues that matter most to the users. This process provides readers with essential, personalised political insights from which voters can begin their own comparative analysis, draw well-informed conclusions, ultimately enabling them to make better informed decisions.
“People can truly focus on political analysis, with all the background work being handled by AI.”
How electify.eu works: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7dlsxQsRQM/
Beyond simplifying the accessibility and comprehension of political stances, Electify aims to enhance civic participation and engagement. By bridging the gap between citizens and politics, Neifer and her team are dedicated to fostering a more informed electorate. Their commitment underscores their mission to promote transparency and democratic engagement through innovative technology.
Innovation and challenges
During the campaign for the European elections, Electify registered a total of 11.000 page views, with the majority coming from Germany. It was confirmed that the tool was also used on the election day, making it an invaluable pocket-sized resource for receiving the latest political updates.
Electify is currently a free tool for users, yet able to deliver impressive outcomes. However, its development has been heavily reliant on public funding, which has also proven to be the main challenge during its creation.
Behind the innovation: the team
Electify emerged from a team of developers united by their passion for politics. Initially brought together during a data science course, the team of Neifer, Christian Liedl and Joshua Nowak embarked on developing the tool as their final project.
Neifer is a journalist who transitioned to become a data scientist. Drawing on her journalistic background, she understood the intricacies of parsing through multiple policy papers, manifestos and debates to extract key information. This firsthand experience fueled her drive to create a tool as a potential solution.
They also observed a trend of growing voter disengagement and noted that the overwhelming influx of information led to news avoidance among the public. This prompted people to seek information from sources that may not conduct as thorough research and extensive fact-checking as professional newsrooms. Out of a problem, the team saw an opportunity, and the objective became clear: to establish Electify as a dependable source of political insights.
Electify caters to a wide spectrum of users, from citizens seeking pre-election insights to journalists and professionals verifying and analysing current political programs. For example, while initially focusing on German parties, its availability in English enables international users to grasp the nuances of the German political landscape more effectively.
“[…] it would have been really great to have Electify back then […] Even from a professional perspective or for journalists, one can use the tool to search through various party programs and verify information since it discloses the sources. It is invaluable for further research.”
The future of political technology
When asked about the future of politics, Neifer acknowledged that many citizens perceive politics as opaque and distant, leading to an erosion of trust in elected officials. However, she views the advancement of technology and the public’s willingness to engage with it as a double opportunity.
“I envision a political landscape striving to rebuild this trust through technology that enhances transparency, engagement and informed decision-making.”
Drawing on her dual roles as a developer and journalist, Neifer foresees a future where technology plays a pivotal role in addressing critical political issues and rebuilding public trust. She highlights AI’s transformative potential, citing its ability to enhance access to information and strengthen political communication through real-time fact-checking in dynamic public discussions and on social networks. However, she recognizes that despite these opportunities, concerns and limitations can constrain the technology’s full potential.
She also emphasised the urgent need for AI literacy, equipping individuals with the skills to effectively utilise technology while maintaining a critical perspective on the information it generates. Empowering people in this manner will cultivate a more informed and engaged society capable of navigating the intricacies of contemporary politics, she said. Initiatives promoting AI and tech education will not only combat disinformation but also encourage people to embrace, rather than shy away from, technological innovations.
Neifer highlighted the potential of political technology in developing digital platforms for civic engagement. She imagined a scenario where the public administrative sector could benefit significantly from these advancements.
“We need to enhance the digitalisation of State administration. Part of this could involve creating a platform where certified citizens can directly provide feedback on legislative processes. Such a platform would offer data on the status of laws, provide voting tools and facilitate exchanges with politicians, thereby fostering a more inclusive and transparent democracy.”
Concluding thoughts
In today’s political landscape, technology plays an increasingly crucial role. AI and data science are leading innovations that enhance how information is accessed, verified and utilised in decision-making. Electify demonstrates the potential of political tech and AI to enhance democratic processes by fostering data transparency and engagement.
As Neifer and her team continue to develop the tool, they aim to make a lasting impact on political engagement and voter education. They also plan to expand Electify for future voting rounds, potentially adapting it for the upcoming German federal elections in 2025.
“I hope that through Electify we can engage people who may only have a passing interest. By using the tool, we aim for them to say: ‘Ah, that’s fun, that’s interesting’, and allow them to explore policies and politics in a more playful way. Seeing the technology in action might make the information gathering process more enjoyable.”