Artificial Intelligence able to manipulate elections worldwide, expert says

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to influence elections worldwide, according to the chairman of the Department of Mass Communication at Stephen F. Austin University in the US. He emphasized the necessity for regulations to protect democracy in the political arena.

"We are in the early stages of this technology, and there will be many errors in its application," John Allen Hendricks told Anadolu at the Future(s) of Communications: Promises and Predicaments conference, organized by the Global Communication Association (GCA) last week.

Hendricks pointed out that numerous videos featuring politicians, both in the US and internationally, have circulated, which seem genuine to viewers but are actually deepfake videos.

"AI in politics is new and very convincing, so people need to exercise caution," he warned.

He advocated for some level of regulation on social media by politicians and governments.

"Social media is central to politics in the 21st century, especially in 2024," Hendricks observed. "In American politics, social media is the primary platform for politicians to connect with voters."

He noted that traditional media in the US—television, radio, and newspapers—act as gatekeepers and shape messaging for the public. However, the public has grown skeptical of traditional media and increasingly relies on social media, which allows politicians to communicate directly with them, bypassing traditional journalistic filters.