Independently, unrestrained development of generative AI makes disinformation inevitable. That crushes global democracy.
Stephanie Diepeveen 24. PhD, University of Cambridge, Senior Research Fellow in the Politics and Governance Team at ODI. "Has AI ushered in an existential crisis of trust in democracy?". Overseas Development Institute. 1-18-2024. https://odi.org/en/insights/has-ai-ushered-in-an-existential-crisis-of-trust-in-democracy/
Dis/misinformation is the most immediate global risk of the next two years, according to a recent survey of global policy-makers, private sector leaders and risk experts. False information and conspiracy theories are a ‘global menace’.
Multiple media and advocacy bodies (e.g. here and here) suggest that artificial intelligence (AI) could supercharge disinformation. The conjunction of generative AI – enabling more and better-targeted false information – political polarisation and dissatisfaction with democracy appear to be creating a perfect storm.
Some estimates suggest a 1,000% increase in AI-generated false articles between May and December 2023. Government-sponsored information campaigns are being used to influence online discussion, with the number of governments deploying actors to manipulate online discussions having doubled in the last 10 years. Governments have used misinformation as a justification for restricting internet access, further constraining people’s ability to reach open and trustworthy information. This is all the more concerning this year as one-third of the world’s population goes to the polls.
Why is generative AI such a concern? Scholars point out that the presence of false information in itself isn’t enough to determine what people consume, or how it influences their views or decisions. The reasons people consume and engage with information are context-specific, and shaped by values, experiences and interactions at individual and community levels. Labelling information as false or generated by AI is not necessarily sufficient or aligned to the factors that actually influence why people find information compelling.
The use of generative AI in politics does not necessarily equate with a decline in the trustworthiness of the public sphere. In fact, the uses and impact of technological innovations are difficult to predict. But this does not mean there is not cause for concern. Rather, it compels a rethink of the bigger challenges facing democratic processes and institutions. AI-generated disinformation is a risk because it accentuates and complicates wider challenges to citizens’ trust and engagement in democratic processes.