Why Tocqueville Would Embrace AI Benchmarking: Charting a Path for the Future of Democracy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Photo: Dr. Benjamin Jensen/Created using the Midjourney web app

Photo: Dr. Benjamin Jensen/Created using the Midjourney web app

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This report outlines how civil society can play a critical role in evaluating and shaping the deployment of AI agents in high stakes decisionmaking, from foreign policy to public services. Drawing inspiration from Tocqueville and other democratic political theorists, it argues that transparent, participatory benchmarking is essential to preserving human agency in an increasingly algorithmic world. The report proposes a new model for AI evaluation, one built on associational governance that includes civil society, technical experts, and public institutions, urging a collective effort to ensure AI systems reflect democratic values and serve the public good.

This report is made possible by general support to CSIS. No direct sponsorship contributed to this report.

This report is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s).

© 2025 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. All rights reserved.

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Americas, Europe, Artificial Intelligence, Defense and Security, Geopolitics and International Security, Technology, Civil Society, and American Innovation
Benjamin Jensen

Benjamin Jensen

Director, Futures Lab and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Ian Reynolds

Ian Reynolds

Postdoctoral Futures Fellow (Non-resident), Futures Lab, Defense and Security Department

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