Science fiction has sparked decades of debate about whether future wars will be made more deadly by weaponised artificial intelligence. Yet, in the real world, AI is already being harnessed to broker peace.

This idea first emerged four years ago when members of a UN team asked how technology could be used to survey residents of conflict zones about what they wanted from peace agreements. Asking people’s views is important because peace deals and ceasefires are more likely to last if they reflect the views of the whole population, rather than just a few negotiators. But polling people face to face is difficult in a country at war: security requirements make it complex, expensive and time-consuming.

A New York start-up, Remesh, may have found a solution — an AI-assisted poll that can reach more than 1,000 people, engaging them in real-time conversations about the changes they want to see.