Pakistan’s National Elections
A shocking opposition victory and the military's playbook
A Shocking Opposition Victory
Imran Khan, Pakistan's former prime minister, has been in jail throughout the country's electoral campaign. Despite being disqualified from running, his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (P.T.I.), used artificial intelligence to replicate his voice and rally his supporters. In a surprising turn of events, candidates aligned with P.T.I. won the most seats, throwing the country's political system into chaos. It was Mr. Khan's A.I. voice that declared victory, rejecting the claims of his rival, Nawaz Sharif, and urging supporters to defend the win.
The use of artificial intelligence in this manner raises concerns about its potential to mislead, particularly in elections. While Mr. Khan's videos demonstrate how A.I. can circumvent suppression and enable political figures to reach their supporters, experts also point out the dangers it poses. By creating A.I.-generated speeches, it undermines our trust in what we see and hear.
The Military's Playbook
During the election campaign, Imran Khan's party faced various challenges, including the prevention of his candidates from campaigning and censorship of news coverage. These actions were perceived as a crackdown by the military. In response, his party organized online rallies using platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Additionally, they began using A.I. to disseminate Mr. Khan's messages. The speeches were based on notes he passed from prison to his lawyers and were turned into videos.
This is not the first time political parties have utilized artificial intelligence in their campaigns. In South Korea, the People Power Party created an A.I.-powered avatar of their presidential candidate, interacted virtually with voters, and appealed to a younger demographic. Similarly, politicians in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand have used A.I. to create dystopian images or demonstrate the potential dangers of the technology.
A Surge in Attacks
As expectations grow regarding the use of artificial intelligence, particularly in elections, the victory speech of Imran Khan highlights the concerns surrounding its deployment. While it served a positive purpose in this case, allowing a political figure unjustly imprisoned to communicate with his supporters, the implications of A.I. technology are still alarming. Toby Walsh, author of "Faking It: Artificial Intelligence in a Human World," points out that reliance on A.I. undermines our trust in the authenticity of what we see and hear.
Imran Khan, a former cricket star, was removed from power in 2022 and subsequently jailed on various charges, including leaking state secrets. Khan and his supporters have accused military leaders of orchestrating his removal, a claim vehemently denied by the military. To overcome the limitations imposed on his party during the election campaign, his supporters used online platforms and deployed A.I. technology to convey Khan's message.
