Complex Chaos thinks AI can help people find common ground

Navigating the complexities of democracy has become increasingly challenging, with many critics suggesting that technology may exacerbate divisions rather than heal them. However, one innovative startup is optimistic that artificial intelligence can serve as a bridge to help people find common ground. Tommy Lorsch, co-founder and CEO of Complex Chaos, shared his vision, stating, "I had an a-ha moment when I realized people often ask AI to explain concepts in simple terms, like they’re five years old. What if we could use AI as a facilitator to enhance understanding and foster consensus?" Together with co-founder Maya Ben Dror, Lorsch is developing tools aimed at helping individuals and groups reach agreements more effectively, regardless of the topic at hand. Their initial test focused on climate negotiations, but the underlying principle applies broadly. The ambition is to cultivate collaboration and significantly reduce the time required for groups to align. Lorsch emphasized that while numerous platforms exist for collaboration, such as Slack and Google Docs, the essence of cooperation remains distinct. He pointed out that traditional facilitation, which often involves trained professionals, can be inefficient, particularly when parties are spread across different time zones or locations. The startup has been inspired by the recent introduction of a language model from Google known as the Habermas Machine, designed specifically to promote group consensus by ensuring that both majority and minority viewpoints are represented in discussions. In a recent trial, Complex Chaos employed their tool to assist young delegates from nine African nations as they prepared for climate discussions at a United Nations campus in Bonn, Germany. The innovative solution utilizes both Google’s Habermas Machine and OpenAI’s ChatGPT to generate targeted questions, outline conversation objectives, and summarize extensive documents. Ben Dror highlighted that the aim was to enable these delegates to unify as a bloc before entering negotiations with external parties. The tool not only aims to streamline the negotiation process but also addresses the need for blocs to regroup and reassess when presented with new information during extensive discussions. Ben Dror explained, "Blocs often cause delays in negotiations as they need to step out, renegotiate, and reposition themselves. Our tool seeks to minimize this friction." Feedback from the trial indicated significant success, with participants reporting a remarkable 60% reduction in coordination time. Furthermore, 91% of delegates acknowledged that the AI tool helped them gain insights into perspectives they might have overlooked otherwise. Complex Chaos is also targeting businesses, particularly tech firms and large consultancies, with their cooperation-enhancing solution. Lorsch noted the parallel challenges faced during strategic planning processes in corporations, which typically extend over three months, filled with back-and-forth negotiations across various teams and time zones. Lorsch and Ben Dror are particularly passionate about applying their technology to climate negotiations. Ben Dror concluded, "If AI can simplify and accelerate these processes, it would be a tremendous benefit—not just for climate issues, but for addressing any significant challenge we face today."