May 2nd 2024.
As the UK gears up for its general election this year, concerns have been raised about the potential influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on the democratic process. Dame Wendy Hall, a renowned computer scientist who co-chaired the Government's 2017 AI review, has warned that it may be too late to prevent the spread of misinformation through AI technology during this election.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme podcast, Dame Wendy suggested that social media platforms could take measures to limit political posts on polling day in order to prevent misinformation from spreading. She also expressed concerns about how AI-generated deepfake images and videos could impact future elections around the world, including the UK's in 2024.
While the UK is currently preparing for local and regional elections, many are keeping an eye on the upcoming general election later this year. With other major elections happening around the world, including the US presidential election in November, it has been deemed a "year of elections." Even India, the world's most populous democracy, is currently in the midst of its own general election.
When asked about the potential dangers of AI in democratic elections, Dame Wendy stated that it may be too late to take any significant action for this year's election. However, she emphasized the importance of raising public awareness about the use of AI for malicious purposes and the need for media outlets to consider the source and reliability of information they share with the public.
Dame Wendy also suggested that social media companies like Facebook and X could do more to prevent misinformation on their platforms. While acknowledging that the idea is not fully developed, she proposed the idea of limiting political posts on social media close to election day, similar to the ban on campaigning on election day itself. This could potentially prevent the spread of false information about politicians, but it may not have much of an impact on postal voters who can submit their ballots ahead of time.
In the 2019 general election, postal votes accounted for 21% of all valid votes cast, according to the House of Commons Library. This highlights the need for continued efforts to address the potential dangers of AI in future elections, even if measures are put in place to limit its impact on election day. It is important for both individuals and companies to remain vigilant and responsible in their use of technology to ensure the integrity of the democratic process.
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