We were delighted to host Audrey Tang, Inaugural Minister of Digital Affairs of Taiwan, and E. Glen Weyl, an economist at Microsoft Research and co-author of Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society, here in Canberra

Their insights sparked engaging conversations about how AI can be a force for democratic good—drawing on Taiwan’s experience—how governments can listen more deeply to their citizens through technology, and why embracing diversity—the concept of plurality—is crucial for a thriving society.

We dived into the innovative potential of quadratic voting, discussed how empowering young voices leads to greater civic engagement, and considered what these lessons could mean for Australia’s democratic future.

During their visit, we were pleased to join Audrey and Glen in a meeting with the Australian Electoral Commission to explore how these forward-thinking ideas could be applied to Australia’s democracy. This was followed by meetings at Parliament, where these important themes took centre stage.

We tackled the challenges of misinformation, discussing pre-bunking and crowd-sourced strategies to protect our information integrity.

A big thanks to everyone who joined us in vital discussions on technology, democracy, and governance. Together, we can pave the way for a more inclusive, innovative, and democratic society.

Be sure to check out Plurality, Audrey and Glen’s open, git-based collaborative book project that envisions a future where technology empowers and bridges social differences.

Or listen to the special episode of Tech Mirror: Plurality: A Vision of the Future of Democracy and Society.