KUALA LUMPUR: The government is open to setting up a task force to tackle the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) during elections, including the spread of deceptive content, says Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
He told the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Oct 29) he would put forward the proposal following concerns over the potential impact of AI misuse during state and general elections.
In a supplementary question, Datuk Idris Ahmad (PN-Bagan Serai) had asked if the government planned to set up a task force to curb AI misuse during elections, citing concerns over manipulated images that could mislead the public and cause harm.
"I have no objection to bringing forward that proposal," Gobind said during the question-and-answer session.
"If there are sound suggestions that can help us take action, we are open to them.
"We should also look to the Election Commission (EC) to consider the appropriate approach.
"We can provide a framework and develop secure platforms, but we will need to sit down with the EC to discuss policy matters."
On the proposed AI Governance Bill, Gobind said the framework would cover AI risk management, accountability among parties involved in developing and using AI, as well as mechanisms for reporting and managing incidents.
He said responsibility would be determined by a party's role, level of control and the risks associated with an AI system throughout its life cycle.
"We need to look at those who develop AI-based solutions, how these solutions or services are used, and how their use can be regulated.
"We also need to consider reporting mechanisms and how incidents can be managed when reports are received.
"When a problem occurs, we need to establish exactly what went wrong. Once a report is received, the relevant agency will examine the matter and determine how to address the problem arising from the reported incident," he said.
The Bill is expected to provide a legal basis for ensuring that parties developing, providing or using AI systems have appropriate responsibilities to identify, assess and manage risks.
This includes taking preventive and mitigating measures, as well as ensuring corrective action can be taken in the event of an incident, system failure or harm associated with AI use, Gobind said.
He added that AI posed increasingly complex risks that required expertise and cooperation across government agencies, as the technology affected multiple ministries and sectors.
He said AI Malaysia Bhd had been established to bring experts together to advise the government on existing structures and how they could be upgraded to address emerging technological challenges.
The Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament early next year.
