Algorithmic Politics: AI-Driven Governance, Digital Manipulation, and the Future of Democracy Dr-Godfrey Gandawa 2026, Interdisciplinary Journal of Arts, Politics and Law (IJAPL)

https://www.academia.edu/165950847/Algorithmic_Politics_AI_Driven_Governance_Digital_Manipulation_and_the_Future_of_Democracy?rhid=42958255804&swp=rr-rw-wc-176149436&nav_from=89aa34ed-d731-4e62-b332-fdffcc2150ac AI systems increasingly influence political communication, voter behaviour, and governance processes. Algorithmic curation, micro-targeting, automated propaganda, and predictive governance have transformed the conditions under which democratic will is formed and expressed. This foresighting paper examines the rise of algorithmic politics as a structural reconfiguration of democratic power, in which digital infrastructures, rather than formal institutions alone, shape political agency and public discourse. It analyses the risks posed to democratic integrity, transparency, and citizen autonomy by data-driven persuasion, platform-mediated public spheres, and anticipatory forms of governance. The paper argues that algorithmic politics cannot be treated as a mere technical development but must be understood as a constitutional challenge that demands new regulatory, ethical, and institutional responses. It proposes a governance framework that safeguards cognitive autonomy, informational integrity, and collective self-determination in an algorithm-mediated political environment.