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AI-tocracy dynamics

Author

Listed:
  • Orlando Gomes

    (Lisbon Accounting and Business School (ISCAL-IPL) and CEFAGE-ISCAL research center)

Abstract

AI-tocracy is the designation used to characterize a political regime that is autocratic and that resorts to AI-based methods of control and repression to guarantee its entrenchment in power. This study develops an original dynamic model of AI-tocracy, in which political control is pursued via investment in digital surveillance. The sketched model allows for different degrees of authoritarianism and for different levels of efficacy of surveillance. Numerical results indicate that, in the steady state, deeply autocratic regimes can coexist with a fast expansion of the AI frontier, as long as the efficacy of surveillance is high (thus creating prosperous AI-tocracies). If the government is incapable of efficaciously extracting data from socio-economic events and interactions, then deeper authoritarianism will be accompanied by the decline of AI technology and by a fall in output and welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Orlando Gomes, 2026. "AI-tocracy dynamics," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 46(2), pages 604-612.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-26-00121
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    File URL: http://www.accessecon.com/Pubs/EB/2026/Volume46/EB-26-V46-I2-P51.pdf
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    JEL classification:

    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • H1 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government

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