Skip to main content
This is a research prototype. The data and analyses are preliminary and not yet validated — we'd welcome your .
MIT AI Risk Initiative
BackDemocracy
Control
Discrimination

Democracy

A Taxonomy of Systemic Risks from General-Purpose AI

Uuk et al. (2025)

SourceDOI
Sub-category

"The erosion of democratic processes and public trust in social/political institutions."(p. 10)

Entity: Who or what caused the harm

Human

Due to a decision or action made by humans

AI system

Due to a decision or action made by an AI system

Other

Due to some other reason or is ambiguous

Intent: Whether the harm was intentional or accidental

Intentional

Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal

Unintentional

Due to an unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal

Other

Without clearly specifying the intentionality

Timing: Whether the risk is pre- or post-deployment

Pre-deployment

Occurring before the AI is deployed

Post-deployment

Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed

Other

Without a clearly specified time of occurrence

Other risks from Uuk et al. (2025) (60)

Control

7.1 AI pursuing its own goals in conflict with human goals or values
AI systemIntentionalPost-deployment

Discrimination

1.1 Unfair discrimination and misrepresentation
OtherOtherPost-deployment

Economy

6.2 Increased inequality and decline in employment quality
OtherOtherPost-deployment

Environment

6.6 Environmental harm
AI systemUnintentionalPost-deployment

Governance

6.5 Governance failure
AI systemUnintentionalPost-deployment

Harms to non-humans

7.5 AI welfare and rights
HumanUnintentionalPost-deployment
View all 60 risks from this paper →