A presentation by Prof. Genia Kostka (Freie Universität Berlin). This event is part of the Digital Governance Research Colloquium hosted by the Centre for Digital Governance.
Freedom of expression is often constrained by political and social pressures, leading to preference falsification and self-censorship. While prior research has primarily examined political expression in interpersonal communication, less attention has been paid to human–machine contexts. This study addresses this gap by investigating how individuals express political views when interacting with AI-powered chatbots. The authors conduct a cross-sectional survey experiment in which they manipulate the country of origin of three self-developed chatbots (e.g., no origin information, made in China, or made in USA). Approximately 3,000 respondents from four countries are randomly assigned to interact with one of the chatbots. Drawing on survey responses and interaction logs, the authors differentiate three forms of constrained political expression: (1) topic avoidance—respondents intentionally avoid political questions, (2) topic denial—respondents ask political questions but deny them in the subsequent survey, and (3) topic dilution—respondents ask less sensitive questions to offset sensitive inquiries. They anticipate that respondents will react differently to chatbots depending on both their own country of origin and that of the chatbots. This study contributes to the growing literature on AI and politics by demonstrating that, in addition to delivering results aligned with embedded values, AI can also shape user perceptions and behaviors through their design features such as country-of-origin cues.
Prof. Genia Kostka is Professor of Chinese Politics at the Freie Universität Berlin. Her research focuses on China’s digital transformation, environmental politics and political economy. Her most recent research project explores how digital technologies are integrated into local decision-making and governance structures in China (ERC Starting Grant 2020-2025). Previously, she was Professor of Governance of Energy and Infrastructure at the Hertie School, Assistant Professor at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management and strategic management consultant for McKinsey & Company. She has a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Oxford, an MA with specializations in International Economics and International Development from SAIS Johns Hopkins University and a BSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her work has appeared in leading area studies and social science journals including Comparative Political Studies, Journal of Politics, Regulation & Governance, Big Data & Society, New Media & Society, Environmental Politics, and The China Quarterly. Alongside her academic work, she regularly consults for international organizations, including the World Bank, OECD, AusAID, GIZ, and Oxfam.
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