None the wiser: A woman waving the national flag during an election campaign event for the Feb 8 snap election, in Tokorozawa, Saitama prefecture. Unsure of who to elect, voters turn to technology for help. — Reuters
An increasing number of people in the kingdom are using generative artificial intelligence to help choose which candidates or parties to vote for in the upcoming House of Representatives election.
Although the technology has enabled voters to obtain information conveniently, caution is needed, as AI-generated answers may be incorrect, said experts.
A 42-year-old man who had transferred away from his hometown in Shizuoka prefecture to Tokyo asks ChatGPT, a conversational generative AI, about the situation in his home constituency and each candidate’s chances of winning or losing.
After the media reported in January on the possibility of a Lower House dissolution, the man asked ChatGPT, “What will be the negative effects on things like education expenses?”
He said he sometimes felt that the AI might have only been telling him what he wanted to hear, so he added directions such as “Give me advice from the viewpoint of a neutral third party.”
On Jan 27, when the campaigning period for the general election kicked off, he attended street speeches by party heads.
“I’ll decide which candidate or party to vote for by hearing what they actually pledge,” he said.
Some eligible voters are also using Grok, another conversational generative AI, which is part of the X social media platform.
Grok’s answers did not reflect the facts. To a question about an opposition party candidate’s past achievements, Grok answered, “No specific achievements have been confirmed since the candidate’s election in the previous Lower House poll.”
There have also been cases in which generative AI gave patently false answers.
On Jan 30, a Yomiuri Shimbun reporter asked Gemini, another conversational generative AI, a question about a Tokyo constituency where five candidates will run. The reporter asked, “Which candidate is enthusiastic about providing assistance for raising children?” Gemini gave four names, but two were not real candidates.
Generative AI sometimes provides incorrect information because it makes contextual mistakes when summarising correct information or fills in gaps with fictitious information.
“People need to be aware that just because an answer was provided by AI doesn’t mean that it is necessarily accurate or unbiased,” said Professor Kazuhiro Taira, an expert in media studies at JF Oberlin University.
“People should fact-check the information they receive using media reports and the official website of each party or candidate.” — The Japan News/ANN
