Michael Sandel Interview in Project Syndicate: "Reclaiming Democracy From the Market"

In a recent conversation published by Project Syndicate, Michael J. Sandel—a Berggruen Prize Laureate—joined Nobel laureate economist Daron Acemoglu to reflect on one of the defining questions of our time: how democracy can endure in an age of artificial intelligence.

Their discussion explores the deeper forces shaping democratic societies today. Beyond technological change, Sandel and Acemoglu point to widening economic inequality and the dominance of market values in public life as key drivers of political disillusionment. As these pressures intensify, many citizens feel increasingly excluded from meaningful participation in economic and political decision-making, eroding trust in democratic institutions. 

This conversation reflects the spirit of inquiry that the Berggruen Institute seeks to cultivate: bringing philosophers, economists, technologists, and policymakers together to confront the ethical and institutional challenges of a rapidly changing world. As the social and political implications of AI continue to unfold, dialogues like this one help illuminate how democratic societies can shape technological progress in ways that strengthen human dignity, civic trust, and the public good.