Publication Details
Title:
Freedom of Expression, Artificial Intelligence and Elections
Details:
AI has transformed how people create, seek, receive, and share information. In the modern era, this has been seen primarily through the evolution of social media platforms and their algorithmic mediation of content. By drastically diminishing the cost of accessing, producing and disseminating information, generative AI has created exciting and new ways for people to innovate in the information space. Freedom of expression, which includes the right to seek, receive, and share information, is fundamental to credible elections. AI systems can continue to empower individuals and enhance the progression of human rights and attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. Within the context of elections, AI has already transformed the way political campaigns operate, voters engage with candidates and media produce and disseminate information. AI systems can further aid civic discourse, electoral participation, and information access. At the same time, challenges to information integrity which have always prevailed during political contests like elections, have increased in speed, sophistication and possibly scale, due to the capacities that AI has recently introduced. Examples include the dissemination of disinformation, the generation of deep fakes and the amplification of societal biases. These can disrupt political campaigns, impact the broader public trust and discourage electoral participation and representation, particularly affecting women.
Publication Overview ; This Issue Brief provides an overview of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) influences freedom of expression in elections, offering approaches for practitioners and partners in navigating a fast-evolving context. There is no single route to harnessing the benefits of AI for the information ecosystem during elections, nor avoiding negative consequences. It is vital to ensure that a digital ecosystem with AI is designed to be safe, secure, and trust-worthy, conducive to respecting freedom of ex-pression and human rights considerations more broadly. Similarly, capacities to use AI with a human right centered approach are crucial for its success, for example, through comprehensive media and information literacy among citizens. Multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approaches can also help analyze and report on the complexities of AI systems, as well as their impact on freedom of expression in electoral processes.