AI's Growing Threat: How Fake Content Undermines Global Elections and Democratic Trust

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being utilized to generate deceptive images and videos, posing a significant threat to the integrity of democratic elections worldwide. These easily created and widely distributed digital forgeries are undermining voter trust and fueling political instability. Experts indicate that such AI-powered content has already influenced election results in several nations. In Europe, recent elections in Germany, Poland, and Portugal have shown the clear impact of AI-driven misinformation. Notably, an influence operation in Romania, allegedly involving AI use, led to the annulment of the first round of presidential elections last year by a court. Officials and specialists are issuing strong warnings that the advancement of AI technology is eroding confidence in electoral fairness and the political consensus essential for the functioning of democratic societies. The ability to create convincing yet false narratives at the push of a button presents an unprecedented challenge to political discourse and social cohesion.