By Olaf Berberich, Initiator of the European Digital System (EU-D-S)
The AI Bubble and the Fight for the Digital Future
The headlines are alarming: “AI-Slop Could Burst the AI Bubble”—as reported by SPIEGEL, warning of a flood of cheap, machine-generated content overwhelming the internet. But behind this technical crisis lies a much deeper problem: A handful of American tech corporations and investors are using the power of AI to dominate the global information order. While Europe has spent decades building democratic structures, we now risk sacrificing these achievements for a digital “Wild West” scenario—where algorithms decide the truth, copyrights are ignored, and value creation is concentrated in the hands of a few.
But there is another way: We can use AI to strengthen democracy—rather than destroy it.
1. The Wild West 2.0: How Digital Surveillance and AI-Slop Concentrate Power
SPIEGEL describes how “Slop” (low-value, machine-generated content) is flooding the internet and displacing trustworthy information. But this is no accident. It is the result of a deliberate strategy:
- AI as a Tool of Power: Big tech corporations use AI to mass-produce content—often without regard for quality or copyright. The result? A digital world where algorithms determine what we see, read, and think.
- Surveillance as a Business Model: As in the Wild West, there are no clear rules. Instead, those with the fastest guns (or algorithms) dominate. Those who don’t play along are sidelined—or, as in my case, systematically targeted.
- Democracy as Collateral Damage: While Europe debates data protection, US corporations are building fact monopolies. Whoever controls AI controls the truth.
My case is an example: Since 1999, I have been developing a Trusted WEB 4.0 that promotes diversity and participation—such as the Finder technology in a semantic search engine, or the social media concept getmysense, which fairly integrates content providers into value creation. Instead of support, I experienced targeted sabotage. My patents were ignored, my accounts were blocked, and my livelihood was threatened. Why? Because I don’t fit the mold of global scalability—I am fighting for a European, democratic internet.
2. The Alternative: AI for Democracy and Fair Value Creation
Instead of becoming dependent on US tech corporations, we need European solutions that:
a) Create Democracy-Preserving Structures
The Finder technology was already able to assign over 90% of search queries—even in complex sentences—to 1,000 categories more than 20 years ago. With around 1 million existing human-created training data points, an AI could learn to transfer this concept to all 2,500 written languages. These structures would help promote high-quality content and combat misinformation. But instead of leveraging this, Europe is being overrun by a digital autocracy focused solely on scalability and surveillance.
b) Integrate Creators into Value Creation
getmysense shows how it can be done differently: Trendsetters or followers as content creators can directly participate in the profits. Like-minded individuals from all languages are brought together by the system. Through a trendsetter/follower concept, social control emerges where AI-slop has no chance. No sellout to algorithms, no alienation from one’s own work—but an inclusive digital economy that rewards creativity.
c) Preserve Pre-Digital Achievements
Europe has spent 70 years building democratic institutions. Why should we sacrifice this for a digital oligopoly? Instead, we must:
- Use AI as a tool for transparency (e.g., exposing manipulation).
- Create legal frameworks that protect innovators—not punish them.
- Promote decentralized systems that distribute power. The planned EU-D-S, with a constitution based on the EU Charter, offers an alternative to domination by a few.
3. The Fight for Europe’s Digital Sovereignty
Time is running out: By February 23, 2026, the deadline for my complaint to the ECtHR expires—a milestone for the EU to denounce the systematic suppression of digital pioneers in Europe. I am calling for the establishment of a European Digital System (EU-D-S) that:
- Involves 100 million EU citizens (instead of reducing them to data providers).
- Invests 3 billion euros in digital sovereignty (instead of losing this money to US corporations).
- Designs AI democratically—as a tool for participation, not control.
Because the choice is before us:
- Option 1: We accept the “Wild West”—a world where AI is controlled by a few and democracy becomes an empty shell.
- Option 2: We use AI to enhance pre-digital achievements—with fair value creation, copyright protection, and democratic control.
4. What Needs to Happen Now
- Political Pressure: The EU must enforce a counter-concept for AI—not just data protection, but genuine digital democracy.
- Support for Innovators: Projects like GISAD (Department for Digital Structural Relevance) need backing—not sabotage.
- Conscious Use of AI: Instead of being flooded by “slop,” we must promote and reward high-quality, human-generated content.
My message to Europe: We have the chance to shape the digital future differently. But to do so, we must act now—before the AI bubble bursts and all that remains are the ruins of a lost democracy.
What Do You Think?
Should we allow a handful of tech corporations to decide our digital future? Or is it time for a European model—with AI that strengthens democracy instead of destroying it?
An overview of the attacks on democracy-preserving Trusted WEB 4.0
Sources:
- SPIEGEL: “AI-Slop Could Burst the AI Bubble”
- My Story: “European AI—or How I Learned to Represent Myself”
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—Wenn du weitere Anpassungen oder Ergänzungen wünschst, lass es mich wissen!
