Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS), 12–14 February 2025
Coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şebnem Yardımcı-Geyikçi (University of Bonn / IWE)

From 12 to 14 February 2025, the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) hosted the international workshop "Rethinking Party Politics: The Impact of AI on Governance, Membership, and Leadership," coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şebnem Yardımcı-Geyikçi, lead researcher of the AI, Politics and Power research group at the Institute for Science and Ethics (IWE), University of Bonn.

Held just after the AI Summit in Paris, the workshop brought together leading scholars from across Europe to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping political party organization and democratic governance.

Over three days, participants critically engaged with how AI is influencing electoral strategies, policymaking, member mobilization, and leadership structures—while also discussing the ethical and institutional implications of this transformation.

Workshop Focus

The workshop was structured around the three faces of political parties:

• Party in Public Office – AI’s influence on campaign strategies, legislative work, and transparency
• Party on the Ground – The use of AI in member engagement, activism, and local campaigning
• Party Central Office – AI’s role in reshaping leadership, internal coordination, and decision-making

Participants also took part in a scenario-planning workshop to forecast the possible futures of party organization in the age of AI, and discussed pressing ethical concerns around bias, manipulation, and democratic accountability.

Participants and Contributions

Contributors included:

• Prof. Dr. Erdem Yörük (Koç University)
• Prof. Dr. Giulia Sandri (Université Libre de Bruxelles)
• Prof. Dr. Kristina Weissenbach (University of Duisburg-Essen)
• Prof. Dr. Christoph Bieber (CAIS)
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Patricia Correa-Vila (Aston University)
• Prof. Dr. Fabio Lupato Garcia (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)
• Dr. Philipp Darius (Hertie School)
• Dr. Jasmin Fitzpatrick (JGU Mainz)
• Dr. Eugenia Stamboliev (University of Vienna)
• Dr. Tijs Vandemeulebroucke (University of Bonn)

The workshop was part of the ongoing work of the AI, Politics and Power research group, which investigates how AI technologies are transforming the relationships between the state, civil society, and the public sphere. The group explores how institutions, interests, and interactions are being redefined in light of these developments, with a particular focus on democracy, accountability, and civic participation.