Deepfakes and Democracy: Unveiling the Impact of Generative AI on Global Elections

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Authored by Vittoria Elliott

2024 Marks the Era of the Generative AI Election

Hello there! My name is Vittoria Elliott, and I serve as a journalist at the WIRED Politics desk. This week, I'm stepping in for Makena to delve into the resurgence of politicians in India and the support of Eminem for opposition groups in South Africa.

Clearly, the events described haven't actually occurred, but the illusions crafted by generative AI deepfakes are convincing enough to make them seem real. We are witnessing the utilization of generative AI by politicians, electoral campaigns, and the general public within the electoral process. This is merely the start. Hence, WIRED is initiating a global project to monitor these developments.

Let's discuss this.

The political landscape has become increasingly bizarre and digitalized. The WIRED Politics Lab serves as your navigator through the whirlwind of radicalism, conspiracy theories, and false information.

Artificial Intelligence Transforms Global Political Landscape

As November draws attention in the United States, 2024 marks a significant year for elections worldwide. India, known as the biggest democracy globally, is concluding its electoral process; meanwhile, South Africa and Mexico are gearing up for their own elections this week. Additionally, the European Union is preparing for its parliamentary elections in June. This year is witnessing the most extensive electoral activities in recorded history, coinciding with an unprecedented number of internet users globally.

As an Indonesian voter, you might have encountered a video where a late dictator appears to endorse their political heir. If you're a Democratic voter in American Samoa, it's possible you were targeted with a tailored message from a relatively obscure presidential hopeful, Jason Palmer, who surprisingly outperformed President Joe Biden in the territory's primary elections. Alternatively, you could be among those individuals interviewed by WIRED's Nilesh Christopher and Varsha Bansal for an insightful feature, discussing how they were contacted by local politicians in India through personalized, AI-created phone calls during election time.

Here are a few examples of how generative artificial intelligence is transforming the landscape of politics, elections, and democratic processes, now more accessible than before.

However, the issue is this: Much of the journalism surrounding this matter focuses on isolated cases, scrutinizing or verifying specific events. While this is crucial, it fails to capture the extensive range and depth of the application of these technologies. Therefore, for the remainder of the year, our aim is to monitor the deployment of generative AI globally, in over 60 electoral processes.

In our study, we monitored instances of AI deployment that have, in certain scenarios, impacted millions: For instance, TikTok videos showcasing a computer-generated photo that transformed Prabowo Subianto, the ex-defense minister and current president-elect of Indonesia, into an adorable and lovable figure, garnered over 19 billion views. (It's worth noting that Subianto had previously faced a ban from entering the US due to accusations of human rights violations.)

Authored by Kim Zetter

Authored by Nena Farrell

Authored by Will

Authored by Julian Chokkattu

Specialists understand that generative AI is set to significantly transform the realm of information, and issues that have persistently troubled technology platforms—including misinformation, deception, and offensive material—are expected to become more pronounced, even with the protective measures that corporations claim to have established.

Several methods exist to determine if an item was produced or altered via artificial intelligence: It might be officially acknowledged by individuals or initiatives; investigative journalists could have examined and discredited its credibility; or perhaps it's evidently employed for purposes such as parody. Occasionally, we may find it marked with a watermark, signaling its AI origins or modifications. However, it's important to recognize that these instances probably represent just a fraction of the AI-generated content circulating. It's highly probable that our current records underestimate the true extent.

This brings us to a related concern: Echoing the thoughts of British journalist Peter Pomerantsev, "In a world where truth doesn't hold, anything becomes conceivable." Within an environment dominated by generative AI, it becomes a simple task for politicians or celebrities to dismiss authentic information as fraudulent, creating what is known as the "liar’s dividend." This scenario fosters a culture of skepticism, making individuals more inclined to doubt the authenticity of genuine information. Moreover, fact-checkers and journalists often find themselves ill-equipped to verify if content has been created or altered by AI technologies. As we navigate through the current year, it's expected that these challenges will merely scratch the surface of what's to come.

However, the fact that an item is counterfeit doesn't inherently imply it's detrimental. Deepfakes have been embraced in the realm of satire, chatbots are capable of delivering accurate information on occasion, and tailored political campaign efforts can give individuals a sense of being acknowledged by their elected officials.

We're navigating this bold, new era, which is precisely why we're keeping an eye on it.

The Discussion Space

In line with our artificial intelligence initiative, we are inviting our audience to share examples of generative AI they come across during this year's election period.

For a clearer understanding of our criteria for reviewing entries (or any discoveries) and to submit one to us, please visit the link provided. Should you be uncertain if a creation is the result of generative AI or simply a low-quality fake, go ahead and submit it; we will investigate it.

📝 Share your thoughts in the section beneath this post.

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Additional Reading Suggestions

🔗 TikTok Announces Removal of Chinese Influence Efforts: Last week, TikTok reported the deletion of numerous accounts associated with 15 influence operations from China on its platform. (The Washington Post)

🔗 Vivek Ramaswamy, Ex-Republican Presidential Contender, Pushes for Changes at BuzzFeed: Now holding a position as an activist shareholder in BuzzFeed, Vivek Ramaswamy is advocating for the media outlet to embrace conservative audiences. He is urging the company to admit to providing misleading information in its coverage of Donald Trump and the Covid situation, among other issues, while also suggesting job reductions. (Bloomberg)

🔗 OpenAI Establishes Governance Panel Including Sam Altman Following Disbandment of Safety Group: This freshly formed committee is tasked with advising on safety and security measures, and is given a 90-day timeframe to enhance OpenAI's procedures and protections, as stated in the firm's blog post. (Bloomberg)

The Final Note

Before you go, don't miss this week's episode of our podcast where I had a conversation with Leah Feiger, our editor and host, discussing the AI elections initiative. Be sure to tune in!

Beyond discussing the upcoming initiative (my excitement is hardly a secret), our conversation included Nilesh Christopher, renowned for his coverage of deepfakes impacting India's electoral processes in WIRED. The key insight: As the Indian elections draw to a close, a wave of emerging generative AI firms are scouting for fresh opportunities abroad, potentially influencing elections in other regions.

That wraps up today's update. Appreciate your subscription. Feel free to reach out to me through email or on X.

Image credit: Getty Images

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