Obama warns social media and AI threaten democracy in Glasgow

Former US President Barack Obama addressed an audience in Glasgow on Wednesday evening, warning that social media and artificial intelligence pose threats to democracy by spreading fear and misinformation. The event, titled "An Evening with President Barack Obama," took place at the OVO Hydro arena.

The Event in Glasgow

Obama arrived in Glasgow as part of a three-date UK tour, which also included stops in Manchester and Belfast. According to STV News, a police escort was in place at Glasgow Airport as the former president arrived around 3pm in a motorcade of Range Rovers. The event at the OVO Hydro drew a crowd of approximately 12,150 people, according to The Independent.

During the conversation with British journalist and author Sathnam Sanghera, Obama reflected on his time in the White House and discussed current political and social challenges. The Independent reported that Obama is 65 years old.

Comments on Social Media and AI

Obama attributed the polarization of politics and the rise of populism to the way information is consumed online. He stated that social media platforms exploit human psychology.

"It turns out that the reptilian side of our brain really gets attracted to anger, fear, resentment and the sense that someone is out to get you," Obama said. "So, a lot of social media and a lot of our information is informed around that."

He argued that this constant influx of negative information affects public discourse and mental well-being. "If I had a blame pie for why politics is so polarised and why we’re seeing a rise of populism in many places, it’s because of that information that is going into our brains every day," Obama said. "It’s part of the reason why young people can feel discouraged. It’s not a healthy diet that our brains are on at the moment."

The former president warned that artificial intelligence will exacerbate these issues. "It’s about to get even more troubling with AI where it’s going to get even more difficult for us to distinguish between what is true and what is not," he said. He added, "It’s hard for democracy to function if we can’t at least agree on the facts."

Call for Balance and Regulation

Obama emphasized the need for a "critical balance" between free speech and regulation. He suggested that world leaders must find new mechanisms and institutions to facilitate rigorous debate while helping people verify basic facts.

The tour included interactions with the public. Fayaz Sndi, 27, who is originally from the Kurdistan region of Iraq, told the Press Association that seeing Obama was "exciting." "I want him to be president again. When he was president the world was good," Sndi said.

Why it matters

Obama's remarks highlight the intersection of technology and democratic stability. By identifying social media and AI as drivers of polarization and misinformation, the former president pointed to specific challenges facing modern governance. His comments underscore the difficulty of maintaining factual consensus in an era where digital platforms amplify emotional responses and AI tools complicate the verification of truth.

---

Sources

• news.stv.tv: Former US President Barack Obama touches down in Glasgow for Hydro event | STV News
• independent.co.uk: Barack Obama warns social media and AI threaten democracy in Glasgow speech | The Independent

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.