THE RAPID adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in electoral processes across East and Southeast Asia poses significant risks to democracy, the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) said in a report released on Wednesday.
The study, conducted with research firm WR Numero, highlighted AI’s potential to revolutionize politics while warning of its capacity to undermine electoral integrity and public trust.
“AI is… not just changing how campaigns operate, [it] is reshaping the entire electoral process. With these new opportunities come significant challenges we need to address,” WR Numero chief Cleve V. Arguelles said in a statement.
The report warned that AI-driven innovations, albeit enabling efficiencies in voter engagement, data analysis, and election administration, have also exacerbated threats such as misinformation, algorithmic bias and cyberattacks.
Deepfakes, a key example cited in the study, have been used in Indonesia, South Korea and Taiwan to manipulate public opinion and spread misinformation, eroding trust in political candidates and the electoral process.
The report underscored the urgency of establishing safeguards, including comprehensive legal frameworks, ethical guidelines for AI use by political organizations and collaboration with independent auditors to ensure transparency. — Chloe Marie A. Hufana
