Episode 128: AI, Agentic Systems, and Rebuilding Digital Democracy

In this episode of Tech Transforms, Carolyn Ford sits down with Ramon Perez, Executive Director of the Digital Democracy Project to explore how emerging technologies could fundamentally reshape democratic participation. Drawing on his background in AI, public policy, and military service, Ramon shares how secure mobile voting, blockchain, digital identity verification, and artificial intelligence are being combined to give citizens a more direct voice in the legislative process. The discussion examines why traditional methods of contacting elected officials often fall short, how AI can make complex legislation more understandable without replacing human judgment, and why transparency and accountability are essential to rebuilding trust in government. Ramon also demonstrates the Digital Democracy platform, showing how verified citizens can review legislation, access AI-assisted bill summaries, track how lawmakers vote, and compare those votes against the preferences of their constituents. Rather than replacing representative democracy, the conversation explores how technology can augment it—creating better-informed citizens, more accountable leaders, and new opportunities for meaningful civic participation. Whether you're interested in AI, cybersecurity, public policy, or the future of democratic institutions, this episode offers a thought-provoking look at how technology can be used for the public good. Show Notes: Book: The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowicki LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramon-perez-97a87a41/ Links: https://digitaldemocracyproject.org/