With the surge in technological advancements, artificial intelligence (AI) has undoubtedly been a game-changer in the world of politics. While it has helped leaders craft policies that cater to the needs of their electorates, it has also posed great risks to democratic processes globally. Fine Gael senator, Emer Currie, has spoken out on how Irish elections are at risk from malicious AI. In an era where tech solutions are quickly becoming integrated into every aspect of our lives, Currie’s concerns should be taken seriously. In this article, we’ll explore the issues with AI’s impact on Irish elections and how it poses a threat to democracy.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been identified as a major threat to Irish democracy, with malicious actors expected to use it to target future Irish elections, according to Fine Gael Senator John McGahon. Although AI has the potential for the betterment of society through improving growth and productivity, it poses a real societal danger if it’s left unchecked. Consequently, preventative measures must be taken, Senator McGahon has said.
The family of former F1 driver, Michael Schumacher, is currently pursuing a German magazine for creating a fake AI interview with the severely injured driver, highlighting some of the potential issues associated with the technology. McGahon, however, warned that this fake interview is just a small example of the dangers posed by AI. Capabilities can create believable deepfakes, presenting a potential financial risk and reputational damage to those lying in the targets.
AI has been the center of various controversies in recent times, with concerns increasingly growing amongst scientists and regulators alike, that autonomous weapons could be created, thousands of manual jobs removed, alongside concerns about security threats, invasions of privacy, and social grading.
Senator McGahon said that although technology moves rapidly, governments have been slow to add regulation to counteracting the potential misuse of AI. The Cambridge Analytica scandal during the 2016 US Presidential elections and Brexit Referendum in the year mentioned above shows what can happen if governments don’t act rapidly enough. “AI will be the next frontier where this could happen, it certainly is the future and it must be approached in a measured manner that ensures proper regulation and safeguards are included. Our own elections here are vulnerable to being targeted by those who have no regard for democracy. We cannot allow it to happen,” Senator McGahon added.
McGahon added that leading governments in the European Union should establish a taskforce to determine how the threat from AI could affect the continent, as all of this could be used to manipulate elections and undermine the credibility of democratic institutions. In the meantime, as leading governments figure out what to do, the technology is still expanding at “lightning speed,” said McGahon. Therefore, the clock is ticking on establishing measures to prevent any abuses of the technology, which could lead to irreparable damage to democracy.
