Deceptive tool: A screencap of the AI-generated clip involving Chow.
PETALING JAYA: While Artificial Intelligence (AI) looks set to play a major role in the US election campaign, several politicians here are advising caution about its use in the 16th General Election (GE16), especially with its potential to spread disinformation and deepfakes.
With AI now capable of creating realistic text-to-speech and voice-emulation deepfakes, the stakes are very high, said Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
“We are worried about AI-driven political networks which are used to spread fantasy, fiction and mass delusion.
“Barisan suffered heavily in (the) 2018 (elections) due to fake news. Our attempts to address this with the Anti-Fake News Act 2018 about a month before the elections failed to convince voters of the threats posed by fake news.
“Consequently, the Pakatan Harapan government also faced similar issues.
“In the next elections, new tools like AI will be used, but we must not be driven by free-for-all campaigning without values and morals,” he told The Star.
In July last year, an influencer was investigated after an AI-generated clip emerged depicting Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow allegedly announcing a new policy to enable single men to find women.
In December last year, a video purportedly depicting former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob delivering a national address in fluent Tagalog, also made its rounds on social media.
On Aug 29, Terengganu PAS Youth lodged a police report over an AI-generated image mocking the state government over its stance on female athletes’ attire.
The image showed a person wearing a black burqa while diving into a swimming pool, captioned “Welcome to Afganu!”.
PKR communications director Lee Chean Chung said there was a need for a code of ethics when using AI and greater accountability by social media platforms.
He said he would advocate for the labelling of AI-generated content in GE16 to improve transparency.
“People are already vulnerable to human-driven scams and crimes,” he said, adding that better tools and more robust cybersecurity measures are needed to detect AI abuse.
PAS central working committee member Khairil Nizam Khirudin said the party was open to technological developments but stressed the importance of truth in social media use.
“If AI has more downsides, especially in spreading fake news and slander, then PAS will reject it. We have seen AI-generated fake content targeting the Terengganu government recently,” he said.
He urged the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to act swiftly, adding that the regulator must be fair in such cases.
On whether PAS will use AI in its GE16 campaigns, Khairil Nizam said that it would depend on election rules.
“If permitted, Perikatan Nasional will use AI technology based on truth, not slander,” he said.
Muda information chief Leben Siddharth acknowledged AI’s growing role in electoral processes, with applications ranging from targeted campaigning to voter engagement and management.
“Muda is open to utilising AI tools responsibly to enhance our political campaigns and outreach efforts.
“However, Muda is concerned about the potential for AI to spread misinformation. The rise of generative AI has made it easier to create convincing deepfakes and misleading content,” Leben said, adding that the Election Commission should introduce regulations to oversee AI use in elections.
