India's electoral landscape has consistently evolved alongside technological advancements. The upcoming 2024 elections are poised to mark a turning point as Artificial Intelligence (AI) increasingly influences campaign strategies and voter engagement.
Historical Context
Indian elections have a track record of leveraging new technologies. This includes the adoption of mass phone calls, the BJP's groundbreaking use of social media in 2014 to target youth voters, and the dominance of WhatsApp as a political messaging tool in 2019.
AI's Influence and Potential Dangers
●AI offers significant benefits for political campaigns. It can translate speeches for broader reach, provide data-driven insights for micro-targeting voters, and optimize overall campaign performance.
●However, AI also introduces the threat of widespread disinformation. Deepfakes, manipulated audio/video, and AI-powered bots can spread misleading information designed to sway public opinion or undermine trust in the electoral process.
● Evidence of AI's misuse in recent elections across the globe raises serious concerns about its potential to disrupt democratic processes in India.
Challenges and Responses
● To combat the negative use of AI, governments and tech companies are collaborating to develop countermeasures. These include regulations against AI-generated robocalls and efforts to detect manipulated content. However, the effectiveness of these measures is yet to be fully tested.
●The rapid pace of AI development calls for increased vigilance and preparedness. It's crucial to consider how AI might be misused closer to the 2029 elections, in order to proactively address these threats and safeguard the integrity of democratic institutions.
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