Greece, birthplace of democracy, seeks to put humanity ahead of AI in updated constitution

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece is preparing major constitutional changes, including an amendment requiring that artificial intelligence serve human society.

Conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis outlined the proposed revisions on Thursday, casting them as necessary to safeguard future generations given global concerns about AI’s risks to democratic governance and humanity itself.

“It’s very important that, in this process of constitutional revision, we take care of the world that will host our children,” Mitsotakis told lawmakers from his governing center-right party.

The proposed changes would include a provision that says: “Artificial intelligence shall serve the freedom of the individual and the prosperity of society, ensuring that risks are mitigated and that the advantages it provides are fully realized.”

Dozens of other changes would include expanding postal voting, increasing mandatory schooling from nine to 11 years and banning retroactive taxation.

“These challenges already dominate today: from the climate crisis and protection of water resources to renewable energy sources, but above all the use of artificial intelligence,” the prime minister said. “This great revolution must also be constitutionally placed at the service of individual freedom and social well-being.”

The lengthy revision process involves a series of votes by two successive parliaments and typically requires some cross-party support.

Greece has been an eager adopter of AI and modern technology since emerging from a major financial crisis eight years ago, upgrading border surveillance and rebuilding its tax administration.

A powerful government services platform now manages everything from obtaining a divorce to buying tickets for domestic soccer matches.

Last month, the government unveiled plans for a full social media ban for children younger than 16 — a move it said was intended to pressure the European Union to adopt similar rules.

Some constitutional experts in Greece argue AI must be legally required to serve democracy because major private technology platforms now hold enough data and power to operate beyond effective public oversight.

Evripidis Stylianidis, the government’s lead lawmaker on the constitutional revision, said the changes would serve as a long-term guardrail on AI use.

“Many issues today are defined at the international level,” he told state radio Thursday. “The protection and proper use of artificial intelligence touches all human rights in daily life and is something that must concern us in the constitutional revision.”