Greece Proposes Constitutional Amendment Requiring AI to Serve Human Society

Greece is preparing constitutional reforms that would require artificial intelligence to serve human society and protect individual freedoms. Officials outlined the proposed revisions on Thursday, stating they are necessary to safeguard future generations amid global concerns about AI’s risks to democratic governance and humanity.

The prime minister told lawmakers from the governing center-right party that it is important to take care of the world that will host future children during the constitutional revision process. The changes form part of dozens of other proposed amendments.

These include expanding postal voting, increasing mandatory schooling from nine to 11 years and banning retroactive taxation. Officials said the challenges dominating current policy debates range from the climate crisis and protection of water resources to renewable energy sources, but above all involve the use of artificial intelligence.

The constitutional revision process involves a series of votes by two successive parliaments. It typically requires some cross-party support to pass. Greece has adopted artificial intelligence and modern technology since emerging from a major financial crisis eight years ago.

The country upgraded border surveillance and rebuilt its tax administration during that period. A government services platform now handles tasks ranging from obtaining a divorce to buying tickets for domestic soccer matches. Last month the government announced plans for a full social media ban for children younger than 16.

Officials said the measure was intended to pressure the European Union to adopt similar rules.

Some constitutional experts in Greece argue that artificial intelligence must be legally required to serve democracy. They cite the data and power held by major private technology platforms that now operate beyond effective public oversight. The government’s lead lawmaker on the constitutional revision told state radio that the changes would serve as a long-term guardrail on AI use.

The lawmaker added that many issues today are defined at the international level.