India will vote in the coming weeks, and about 17 European countries will hold parliamentary or presidential elections in 2024. This year has not been called a mega-election year, as less than 50 countries around the world and half the world’s population have voted. in this year’s national elections.
One of the biggest challenges emerging today is misinformation and disinformation driven by generative artificial intelligence (AI). The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2024 rates the risks as the most pressing in the short term. It outweighs climate change, war, and economic decline.
More than 35 experts from the European Union and India will gather in New Delhi on Wednesday to consider ways to combat the threat of online disinformation and manipulation. Seppo Nurmi, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to India, said: “Europe may seem far away from Asia in the physical world, but in cyberspace we live together, sometimes in complex situations.” “I live in a dangerous cyber neighborhood.” “Our society depends on resilient and reliable digital services, and we can all become victims of malicious cyber-attacks. We need mutual protection and strong, reliable cooperation. We need to counter these challenges by
Technology knows no borders. Therefore, it is important that all stakeholders work together. While countries around the world are grappling with the threat posed by generative AI to elections and democracy, the response to this challenge remains largely siloed, with separate governments enacting laws and private software companies has developed the guidelines, and the United Nations Secretary-General is also involved. expressing concern.
From Bangladesh to the United States – a worrying trend
The dangers of AI are already evident in elections around the world. Bangladesh’s public opinion polls have shown some worrying developments, including deepfakes targeting some non-ruling party candidates and leaders. Two independent candidates were seen announcing their withdrawal from the vote, but both videos were found to have been digitally manipulated using deep generation techniques. And in what was later revealed to be a deepfake, opposition leader Tariq Rahman criticized Israel for bombing Gaza, a politically fatal position for Muslim-majority Bangladesh. He was seen asking people not to do so.
Indonesia’s next president, Prabowo Subianto, was projected by generative AI as a loveable and cuddly character, a far cry from his fierce military personality. The technically created image appealed to young voters and led to Subianto’s victory, but official results are expected to be announced in March. The former army general has been accused of human rights abuses in the past and has been banned from traveling to countries such as the United States. Many are wondering what his rise to power means for Indonesia’s democracy.
Last year, US Republican Party campaign ads depicted a dystopia.
The future if Joe Biden is re-elected president. These images were also created using generative AI.
What is a deepfake?
Industry body techUK describes deepfakes as synthetic media that focuses on manipulating or changing visual or auditory information to create convincingly fake content, ranging from images, audio and video. Masu. It also said they serve to amplify existing threats such as “deceptive campaign advertising, misinformation and disinformation, voter suppression, and attacks on election officials.”
common guard dog
In 2021, UNESCO proposed a set of guidelines for the responsible use of AI: Recommendations on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. However, this primarily works within the scope of UNESCO’s mandate regarding education, science and culture. In a further effort, technology companies such as Adobe, Arm, BBC, Intel, Microsoft, and Truepic have come up with several technical standards that will allow publishers, creators, and consumers to track the origins of different types of media. Did. The EU also passed new regulations on AI, including provisions for transparency and accountability for AI systems, while the US passed the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act, which aims to promote the development and responsible use of AI. Did.
Because AI could pose a risk to global stability, the need of the hour is for these efforts to be combined and for an overarching body like the United Nations to take charge. Weakening democracy, lack of trust in elected governments, or governments that lack legitimacy can lead to domestic instability and distrust between states, which can lead to further conflict. Perhaps this issue should be addressed with the same urgency shown in tackling climate change under the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). Collective action is needed to prevent generative AI from becoming an uncontrollable behemoth.
(Maha Siddiqui is a journalist who has reported extensively on public policy and world affairs.)
Disclaimer: These are the author’s personal opinions.