Title: The crucible of American AI governance: navigating democracy's digital transformation

Authors: Habib Badawi

Addresses: History Department, Faculty of Humanities, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon

Abstract: This comprehensive study examines the profound democratic implications of artificial intelligence integration within federal governance structures through rigorous analysis of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, addressing the critical theoretical and empirical gap in understanding how accelerated AI deployment fundamentally transforms democratic accountability mechanisms, federal-state constitutional relationships, and corporate-governmental power dynamics in contemporary American political economy. The research employs sophisticated qualitative case study methodology utilising comprehensive document analysis of legislative texts, policy proposals, and governmental reports while integrating cutting-edge digital-era governance theory, algorithmic governance scholarship, and democratic legitimacy frameworks to develop the novel 'AI Governance Trilemma' analytical model.

Keywords: AI policy; algorithmic governance; corporate power; democratic accountability; federalism; governance trilemma; public administration; technological transformation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAIGHR.2026.152906

International Journal of Artificial Intelligence Governance and Human Rights, 2026 Vol.1 No.1, pp.72 - 91

Received: 19 Jun 2025
Accepted: 30 Aug 2025
Published online: 14 Apr 2026 *