Elections in AI’s age
While there are many things about the former prime minister Imran Khan’s statements are incorrect, he accurately stated that “this is an era of artificial intelligence (AI).”
It’s undeniable that this state-of-the-art generative AI technology can produce augmented and parallel realities or material, which may be readily used to manipulate public opinion on social media platforms, particularly in the run-up to elections.
This year, more than half of the world’s population—including numerous major economies like the US, India, Pakistan, and several other Asian and European nations—will cast ballots. According to a recent World Economic Forum (WEF) research, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven disinformation is the world’s greatest short-term threat in this regard.
The legitimacy of recently elected administrations may be compromised by the widespread use of false information and disinformation, as well as the instruments used to distribute it. The research cautions that the upheaval that may follow may include everything from civil unrest and terrorism to violent protests and hate crimes.
The risks outlined in the WEF Global Risks Report are based on a poll that was conducted among about 1,500 professionals, business executives, and government officials. Deepfake videos are common on social media platforms worldwide, including Pakistan, thus there are risks involved.
A few weeks ago, brief videos showing Indonesian presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto and Anies Baswedan speaking fluent Arabic and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi singing in regional languages went viral on Instagram and TikTok.
Political parties in Pakistan have long embraced artificial intelligence (AI), but the PTI recently employed the technology to great effect by cloning the voice of its founder to create a virtual message for its supporters that was delivered during an online rally.
Other than the PTI, which lost its recognizable cricket bat electoral symbol in advance of the polls on February 8, major parties like the PML-N, PPP, MQM-P, and Jamaat-e-Islami appear to be lagging behind in utilizing high-tech tools because they are still concentrating on using traditional media to disseminate their message.
With a remarkable 57.1 million young voters between the ages of 18 and 35 out of approximately 127 million voters overall, the next polls are expected to bring about a substantial shift in the political landscape of the United States. This generation connects with technology, spends a great deal of time on social media, and heavily relies on it to shape its opinions about political parties and the federal government.
I was astounded to discover the state of media literacy during a recent conversation with journalism students at one of the top private universities in Karachi. They informed me about the sources of information they typically rely on, which are primarily unreliable and non-traditional media sources.
Therefore, political actors that take the initiative and employ cutting-edge informational methods stand a better chance of winning over young people.
There’s a chance that generative AI will develop into a potent tool for sowing social unrest on a large scale. Generating counterfeit images was not a simple task until recently. But in recent years, technological development and advancement have made it feasible to produce real-time, high-quality AI-generated entertainment.
Even though there are many variables that affect local elections in Pakistan, a disinformation-affected information ecology might cause unrest and discord in an already difficult atmosphere.
What would happen if an AI-generated video of Imran Khan was published on election day, encouraging his supporters to start protests or go after his opponents? Beyond merely prohibiting apps and slowing down internet connectivity, the nation lacks the mechanisms and resources necessary to avert such a catastrophic situation.
What transpired on May 9 was the result of months of story development following the PTI’s expulsion from government, as we saw. Artificial Intelligence is expected to transform the electoral process in Pakistan, a nation rife with misinformation and fake news, and where social media trends pose a threat to all segments of the population.
Artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content has the potential to increase the plausibility of highly localized disinformation, undermining election confidence and opening the door for more crises.
Social media behemoths are also in charge of making sure that the political climate of nations like Pakistan, where we have little to no control over the manipulation of information, remains free from outside influence.
Pakistan and other nations do not have as effective content monitoring and policy enforcement as the US and Europe. As a result, compared to other regions, internet users are more likely to encounter a lot of hazardous stuff here.
Establishing relationships with social media behemoths like as Meta, Google, X, TikTok, and Microsoft is imperative for the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Election Commission of Pakistan, and other related institutions to guarantee a smooth polling process free from artificial intelligence-generated fraudulent content.
Furthermore, it is imperative for political parties to establish stringent policies for their social media divisions, securing adherence to a code of ethics. By doing this, the nation’s confidence in the voting process will grow, and a sustainable democracy will be developed.
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.
