Infrastructures of democracy - CivicTech and AI in the reimagination of corporate democracy

In the context of a global democratic backslide, digital platforms have emerged as infrastructures for civic participation and deliberation. While tools like vTaiwan and Decidim have gained attention in the public sector, their adoption in organizational contexts remains largely unexplored. This paper examines why AI-supported deliberative platforms—designed initially for civic engagement—are being repurposed to promote democratic practices within firms. Drawing on a qualitative study of six French CivicTech companies, we analyze the political imaginaries, design choices, and discursive strategies of platform creators as they navigate the tensions between democratic aspirations and market demands. Grounded in pragmatist theories of democracy as a form of life (Dewey, Follett), we argue that these platforms are normatively charged infrastructures that embody competing visions of democracy. Based on rich qualitative data, we develop an emerging typology of postures among platform designers—ranging from explicit advocacy to strategic avoidance—and illustrate how algorithmic and interface choices reflect embedded normative commitments. While the empirical scope focuses on the supply side of these platforms, this study contributes to theorizing organizational democracy as possibly shaped through technical design. It enriches ongoing debates on organizational democracy, digital governance, and the politics of technological mediation in the workplace.