This chapter explores how Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), a novel institutional form based on blockchain technology, challenge traditional centralized governance structures. DAOs govern projects ranging from finance to science and digital communities. They aim to redistribute decision-making power through programmable, transparent, and participatory mechanisms. This chapter outlines both the opportunities DAOs present, such as incentive alignment, rapid coordination, and censorship resistance, and the challenges they face, including token concentration, low participation, and the risk of de facto centralization. It further discusses the emerging intersection of DAOs and artificial intelligence, highlighting the potential for increased automation alongside the dangers of diminished human oversight and algorithmic opacity. Ultimately, we discuss under what circumstances DAOs can fulfill their democratic promise or risk replicating the very power asymmetries they seek to overcome.

翻译：本章探讨了基于区块链技术的新型制度形式——去中心化自治组织（DAO）如何挑战传统的中心化治理结构。DAO管理着从金融、科学到数字社区等各类项目，旨在通过可编程、透明且参与式的机制重新分配决策权。本章概述了DAO带来的机遇，如激励协调、快速协同与抗审查性，以及其面临的挑战，包括代币集中化、参与度低和事实上的中心化风险。文章进一步讨论了DAO与人工智能的新兴交叉领域，强调自动化程度提升潜力的同时，也指出了人类监督减弱与算法不透明性带来的危险。最后，我们探讨了DAO在何种条件下能实现其民主承诺，或可能重蹈其试图克服的权力不对称覆辙。