Imran Khan's Surprise Victory
Last week, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently in prison, shocked everyone by declaring his election victory. How did he do it? Well, he used artificial intelligence to create a video message for his supporters.
Supporters Triumph Despite Repression
Imran Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), won the majority of seats in the recent legislative elections. Even though the party faced a lot of obstacles, independent candidates supported by Khan exceeded expectations and won about 90 seats in Parliament. Party officials believe they could have won even more seats if there hadn't been any vote rigging.
Imran Khan's AI-Produced Video
Last Saturday, the PTI party released a video clip featuring Imran Khan's voice, which was created using artificial intelligence. In the video, Khan congratulated his supporters on winning the 2024 elections and claimed that they had already won 150 seats in the National Assembly before any tampering occurred.
Khan also expressed his confidence in his supporters' dedication to voting and praised their huge turnout.
Imran Khan's Background
Imran Khan, a former cricket star, was removed from power in 2022 and was later imprisoned for leaking state secrets and other charges. Khan and his supporters believe that military leaders orchestrated his removal.
Using AI to Mobilize Supporters
Despite being in prison, Imran Khan has been using artificial intelligence to communicate with his supporters. His party has been using AI to imitate his voice and deliver speeches. This tech-savvy strategy has helped them bypass a military crackdown and continue their campaign.
Online Campaigning and Social Media
During the election campaign, officials prevented Khan's party candidates from campaigning and censored news coverage of the party. In response, the party shifted its entire campaign online and organized election rallies through social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
Concerns About AI and Disinformation
The use of artificial intelligence in Imran Khan's videos has raised concerns about the potential dangers of this technology, especially in elections. Some worry that AI could be used to spread disinformation and manipulate voters.
Toby Walsh, a professor at the University of New South Wales, believes that while AI can empower someone like Imran Khan, it also undermines our trust in what we see and hear.
AI in Politics Around the World
Imran Khan is not the first politician to use artificial intelligence in their campaigns. In South Korea, the People Power Party created a digital avatar using AI for their presidential candidate in 2022. In the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, politicians have used AI to demonstrate the dangers of fake videos and audio clips.
The Future of AI in Politics
Experts believe that incorporating artificial intelligence, including deepfakes, into political campaigns is not just a passing trend. It will continue to evolve and shape the future of politics.
