AI Can Save the Public Sphere

Dan Williams argues that large language models are a "technocratizing" force that, unlike social media, shifts public opinion toward expert consensus by providing evidence-based, politely delivered information, citing studies showing chatbots can reduce belief in conspiracy theories and misinformation. He addresses objections about hallucinations, sycophancy, elite manipulation, and disinformation, contending these are outweighed by LLMs' accuracy-optimized incentives, while cautioning that they may reduce epistemic diversity in society.