Artificial Intelligence and the Social Contract: Foundations for Social and Economic Policy Under Technological Transformation
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This RAND paper applies social contract theory to AI governance, arguing that existing U.S. constitutional frameworks can guide policy responses to AI-driven economic disruption, relevant to AI safety through its focus on societal resilience and equitable distribution of AI's impacts.
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Summary
This RAND paper argues that as AI capabilities advance and risk disruptions comparable to the Industrial Revolution, social contract theory embedded in U.S. institutions provides a framework for navigating AI's societal and economic impacts. The authors contend that existing constitutional principles can guide policymakers in ensuring economic opportunity and societal resilience. The paper connects AI governance to foundational political philosophy to inform social and economic policy design.
Key Points
- •AI advancement may cause disruptions comparable to the Industrial Revolution, requiring significant policy adaptation.
- •Social contract theory, already embedded in the U.S. Constitution, offers a compass for navigating AI's societal impacts.
- •The paper focuses on ensuring economic opportunity and societal resilience amid technological transformation.
- •Authors argue existing U.S. institutional frameworks can be leveraged rather than replaced to address AI challenges.
- •The work connects political philosophy to practical social and economic policy recommendations for the AI era.
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Artificial Intelligence and the Social Contract: Foundations for Social and Economic Policy Under Technological Transformation | RAND
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PE-A3888-1
Artificial Intelligence and the Social Contract
Foundations for Social and Economic Policy Under Technological Transformation
Benjamin Boudreaux, Beba Cibralic
Expert InsightsPublished Aug 25, 2025
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As artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities advance, the United States faces potential disruptions comparable to those in the Industrial Revolution, requiring adaptations that ensure economic opportunity and societal resilience. The authors of this paper argue that social contract theory, already codified in the U.S. Constitution and throughout U.S. institutions, provides a valuable compass for navigating the societal and economic impacts of AI.
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