Home » Can deepfakes be good for democracy? India tries to balance risks and rewards of AI.

Can deepfakes be good for democracy? India tries to balance risks and rewards of AI.

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This year, the World Economic Forum designated manipulated and falsified information as the most pressing short-term risk facing the world today. India is especially concerned with misinformation, which is exacerbated by the widespread use of artificial intelligence.

Surveys show most Indians have encountered AI-generated deepfakes in the past year. Some of that content has arguably benefited India’s democracy, with many parties embracing AI tools to improve voter outreach and translate political speeches. But since elections began April 19, there’s been a surge of deepfake videos harnessing the likenesses of politicians and celebrities to manipulate voters.

Why We Wrote This

Indian society is scrambling to respond to an uptick of political deepfakes during critical elections. Its efforts could help build a roadmap on how democracies balance the good and the bad of artificial intelligence.

Last week, a doctored video of India’s home minister promising to dismantle benefits to lower castes sparked a political firestorm and led to several arrests.

Throughout India, individuals, tech companies, and fact-checking organizations are trying to mitigate the risks of this rapidly advancing technology. Other countries are paying attention.

“We have to grow resilient in the face of these new tools,” says Josh Lawson, director of AI and democracy at the U.S.-based Aspen Institute. “AI tools can be used to bridge language divides and to reach a broader audience with vital civic information. But the same tools can be used to try and manipulate voters at key moments.”

India’s marathon elections – which last six weeks and involve nearly a billion voters – are offering the world a glimpse into the promise and perils of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence.

A survey by cybersecurity company McAfee found that, in the last 12 months, more than 75% of Indians online have seen some form of deepfake content – video or audio that’s been manipulated through AI technology to convincingly imitate another person.

Some of this content has arguably benefited India’s democracy, including the ruling party’s use of AI tools to make Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speeches available in different languages. But since elections began April 19, there’s been a surge of viral videos harnessing the likenesses of politicians and Bollywood celebrities, seemingly to sway voters ahead of a constituency’s polling period.

Why We Wrote This

Indian society is scrambling to respond to an uptick of political deepfakes during critical elections. Its efforts could help build a roadmap on how democracies balance the good and the bad of artificial intelligence.

Last week, for example, a doctored video of India’s home minister promising to dismantle benefits to lower castes sparked a political firestorm and led to the arrest of several people allegedly involved in its creation.

The escalating frenzy surrounding these deepfakes prompted a lawyers’ consortium to petition the Delhi High Court to compel India’s Election Commission to ban the use of deepfake technology in political communications – a petition the court declined this week. Elsewhere in India, individuals, tech companies, and fact-checking organizations are stepping up to try and manage this crisis. Experts say their efforts could help other countries that are preparing for elections.  

“We have to grow resilient in the face of these new tools,” says Josh Lawson, director of AI and democracy at the U.S.-based Aspen Institute. “AI tools can be used to bridge language divides and to reach a broader audience with vital civic information. But the same tools can be used to try and manipulate voters at key moments.

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