Greece is embarking on a significant constitutional overhaul, with a pivotal amendment aimed at ensuring artificial intelligence (AI) serves human society. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis presented these proposed revisions, emphasizing their crucial role in safeguarding future generations amidst growing global concerns regarding AI's potential risks to democratic governance and humanity itself. He stated, "It's very important that, in this process of constitutional revision, we take care of the world that will host our children."

A central element of these proposed changes is a provision explicitly stating: "Artificial intelligence shall serve the freedom of the individual and the prosperity of society, ensuring that risks are mitigated and that the advantages it provides are fully realized." This reflects a proactive approach by Greece to constitutionally embed principles for the ethical and beneficial deployment of AI, aiming to harness its power while establishing robust guardrails.

Beyond AI, the extensive package of constitutional amendments includes dozens of other revisions. These range from expanding the scope of postal voting to increasing mandatory schooling from nine to eleven years. Furthermore, the proposed changes would prohibit retroactive taxation, addressing various aspects of governance and public life. Mitsotakis underscored that modern challenges like the climate crisis, protection of water resources, and the development of renewable energy sources, alongside artificial intelligence, demand constitutional attention. He reiterated that "This great revolution must also be constitutionally placed at the service of individual freedom and social well-being."

Following its recovery from a major financial crisis eight years ago, Greece has actively embraced AI and modern technology. This technological drive has seen upgrades in areas such as border surveillance and the rebuilding of its tax administration system. A powerful government services platform has been developed, streamlining a wide array of public interactions, from processing divorces to facilitating the purchase of tickets for domestic soccer matches. In a related move, the government also recently announced plans for a social media ban for children under 16, a measure intended to encourage the European Union to adopt similar protective regulations.

The necessity of such a constitutional safeguard for AI is echoed by experts. Some constitutional experts in Greece contend that AI must be legally mandated to serve democracy, particularly given the significant data holdings and influence wielded by major private technology platforms, which often operate beyond effective public oversight. Evripidis Stylianidis, the government's lead lawmaker for the constitutional revision, affirmed that these changes would act as a long-term protective mechanism for AI usage. He noted to state radio that "The protection and proper use of artificial intelligence touches all human rights in daily life and is something that must concern us in the constitutional revision." The comprehensive revision process itself is a lengthy endeavor, requiring a series of votes across two successive parliaments and typically necessitating a degree of cross-party consensus to be enacted.