In 2024, it is anticipated that more than 64 countries will hold national elections. The outcomes of these elections may result in a steady shift in power, or conversely, the integrity of our democratic systems being tested. Among the usual threats to the legitimacy of voting, a new danger looms - artificial intelligence (AI).
AI presents a complex array of issues concerning politicians, voters, and current governing bodies. Firstly, one of the more salient threats are deepfakes. Swift advances in software can create fake images and videos of almost anyone, many of which are full of nonsense. This may prove detrimental to a politician’s electoral campaign. In the run-up to this year’s US Presidential Election, deepfakes of Donald Trump’s mugshots have been circulated, as well as others depicting him resisting arrest. To a politically informed voter, it may seem ridiculous to believe the content of these deep fakes, however, there is still a large number of those who will base their political stance on what they see online. Although it may not outrage viewers, it can very easily change their opinions and of course, their vote. This brings us to the topic of news sources and their credibility.
Last year, Ofcom found that the top news source for 16–24-year-olds was Instagram (44%), followed by Facebook and BBC One (both 33%); not far behind were Twitter and TikTok. From these statistics alone, it is clear that deepfakes can very much find their way to the screens of young adults. It becomes misinformation when the viewer does not verify the credibility of the sources. Currently, the threat may not be imminent to the forthcoming elections; however, in a decade’s time, a larger percentage of the voting population may be misinformed. Akin to other risks we face (e.g. climate change), it is essential to prevent the risk as early as possible.
So, the question about the creators and their aims with deepfakes is evident. Who is producing them? There is not one answer. What are their aims? There is not one answer. It can be found that other governments are stirring chaos through the news; other times it is cybercriminals with their own agenda; and though it is difficult to gather evidence for, opposition candidates potentially attempting to break down another politician’s campaign. Most interesting, I believe, is other governments uploading deepfakes. Could this be a new form of cyberactivity? It is unlikely but it could significantly influence the approaching elections.
Moving on from deepfakes, the issue of AI being used inside governments must be discussed. Inevitably, due to the power and strength of AI, there will be questions asked about whether it should be used for policymaking, data gathering and other decision-making processes. For tasks like gathering information, assuming the data is accurate, there is little to be worried about as it is largely correct or incorrect. However, I see the problem lying around decision-making where AI could make mistakes and humans must take control.
With the complicated algorithms of AI built by hundreds of people, if the software makes a mistake, accountability is lost. Humans increasingly rely on AI to carry out jobs, and it would no longer be clear who made major decisions which the public has the right to criticise. Using AI to complete policies and allocate government spending would breach the government’s legitimacy. This makes it clear that decision-making must be left to humans and the politicians citizens voted for.
Therefore, the current proliferation in the use of deepfakes and the possible adoption of AI in government procedures pose a momentous threat to the transparency of democracy and the integrity of our political systems. The circulation of false information is dangerous due to the rising use of social media platforms as news sources. Furthermore, relying on AI’s decision-making within governments removes transparency for the public, and renders accountability unclear. We can protect the principles of democratic politics, but it will take a responsible and cumulative effort which must begin now.
Written by Oli McGuinness, Year 10
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