SL braces for AI powered election malpractices in future

AI can magnify the scale of disinformation by thousands of times

By Kelum Bandara   
In the wake of AI (Artificial Intelligence) powered election malpractices mushrooming globally , Sri Lanka’s Election Commission is bracing for such possibilities in the future elections here, an official said yesterday .  According to global experience , AI can accelerate the production and diffusion of disinformation in contributing to organised attempts to persuade people to vote in a certain way.  

AI can magnify the scale of disinformation by thousands of times. Also , hyper-realistic deep fakes of pictures, audio, or video could influence voters powerfully before they can be possibly fact-checked. The risks are compounded by social media platforms .  
Asked about Sri Lanka’s preparation , Commission’s Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said his office is currently in the process of studying how other countries respond to such challenges to the democratic electoral process.  
He said the Commission would decide on measures including legislation to curb impacts of such malpractices on elections in the future .