By Sandun Arosha Fernando
India’s elections provide a glimpse into the AI-powered future of democracy, where politicians leverage audio and video deepfakes to connect with voters, often without their awareness of interacting with a digital clone. India’s political parties have exploited AI to warp reality through cheap audio fakes, propaganda images, and AI parodies. But while the global discourse on deepfakes often focuses on misinformation, disinformation, and other societal harms, many Indian politicians are using the technology for a different purpose: voter outreach. Across the ideological spectrum, they’re relying on AI to help them navigate the nation’s 22 official languages and thousands of regional dialects, and to deliver personalized messages in farther-flung communities.
As India wrapped up the world’s largest election on June 5, 2024, with over 640 million votes tallied, it became clear how political parties and factions utilized artificial intelligence technologies, offering insights for other nations. Campaigns extensively employed AI, featuring deepfake portrayals of candidates, celebrities, and even deceased politicians. Estimates suggest that millions of Indian voters were exposed to these deepfakes. While there were concerns about widespread disinformation, the majority of campaigns, candidates, and activists harnessed AI in a positive manner during the election. They utilized AI for standard political activities, such as mudslinging, but predominantly to forge stronger connections with voters.
What are Deepfakes?
Deepfakes, a form of artificial intelligence (AI), are sophisticated tools used to fabricate convincing images, sounds, and videos, merging deep learning principles with the creation of deceptive media. By employing machine learning algorithms, deepfakes amalgamate manipulated visuals and audio, generating fabricated individuals and scenarios. This technology, often deployed for malicious intents, such as disseminating false information or propaganda, holds grave implications for public trust and security.
Deepfakes have been implicated in various illicit activities, including scams, nonconsensual pornography, election manipulation, social engineering, disinformation campaigns, identity theft, and financial fraud. Conversely, they can be ethically utilized for purposes such as parody, technological demonstration, historical recreations, and creative simulations, provided proper disclosure and consent are maintained. Efforts to combat deepfakes encompass social media regulations, research initiatives, filtering programs, corporate awareness, and legislative measures aimed at curbing their harmful impact and safeguarding against their misuse.
Deepfake Influence in Indian Elections: Exploring Three Instances
In a stunning revelation that shook the political landscape of Tamil Nadu, a deepfake video surfaced ahead of the Indian election, featuring the late Muthuvel Karunanidhi, a towering figure in the state’s politics. Clad in his signature attire of black sunglasses, white shirt, and yellow shawl, Karunanidhi appeared in an eight-minute video purportedly congratulating a friend and fellow politician on the launch of their autobiography. The video, seemingly authentic at first glance, took a sinister turn as Karunanidhi proceeded to endorse his son, MK Stalin, the current leader of the state. This endorsement carried significant weight, given Karunanidhi’s revered status and enduring legacy in Tamil Nadu politics, even though he had passed away in 2018. The deepfake technology seamlessly replicated Karunanidhi’s voice and mannerisms, leaving viewers bewildered and vulnerable to manipulation. The implications of this deepfake were profound, as it blurred the lines between reality and deception, exploiting the emotions and sentiments of the electorate. Supporters of MK Stalin seized upon the video as a validation of his leadership, while critics decried it as a cynical ploy to sway public opinion. The controversy surrounding the Karunanidhi deepfake underscored the growing threat of AI-generated misinformation in Indian elections.
Deepfakes facilitated Shakti Singh Rathore’s political campaign by revolutionizing his voter outreach strategy. Although Rathore is not contesting in the current election cycle, he is among the 18 million BJP volunteers entrusted with bolstering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government’s grip on power. Traditionally, Rathore would have spent extensive time traversing Rajasthan, a desert state roughly the size of Italy, to speak with voters individually, reminding them of how they have benefited from various BJP social programs—pensions, free tanks for cooking gas, cash payments for pregnant women. However, with the aid of Divyendra Singh Jadoun’s deepfake technology, Rathore’s task became significantly streamlined. Instead of physical interactions, Rathore spent 15 minutes recording a brief session where he discussed key election issues, guided by Jadoun’s prompts. The crucial element wasn’t Rathore’s physical presence but rather his voice, captured meticulously during the recording session. Jadoun utilized this data to generate personalized videos and calls, directly reaching voters on their phones. Through this innovative approach, Rathore could address voters by name, discussing issues pertinent to them, and advocating for BJP support, all without the need for extensive physical campaigning. This strategy not only saved time but also demonstrated the potential of deepfake technology in reshaping political communication and influencing voter behavior.
Deepfake technology has altered the landscape of Indian elections by addressing linguistic barriers and expanding the reach of political candidates to voters across diverse regional languages. While AI bots may encounter challenges in accurately translating local dialects, they serve as crucial tools in bridging communication gaps. For instance, during electoral campaigns, Prime Minister Narendra Modi utilized Bhashini, a government-backed AI tool, to translate his speeches delivered in Hindi into Tamil in real-time. This allowed Tamil-speaking audiences, particularly in the southern and eastern regions where Hindi is not widely spoken, to engage with his message effectively. Moreover, Modi’s speeches were translated into several other regional languages such as Kannada, Bengali, Telugu, Odia, and Malayalam, amplifying his outreach. Additionally, the prime minister’s official app, NaMo, introduced AI-powered chatbots before the elections. These chatbots played a pivotal role in disseminating information about the government’s policy achievements to a wider audience, contributing to the BJP’s visibility and potentially garnering increased support among voters from linguistically diverse regions.
Did Parties Who Supported Deepfakes Had an Increase in Seats Compared to Last Election?
Deepfake technology has become a prominent tool in political campaigns, influencing voter perceptions and behavior. The impact of deepfakes on Indian elections has been particularly significant, as seen in the recent results.
In Tamil Nadu, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) experienced a sweeping victory, winning all 39 seats, a notable improvement from the 31 seats secured in the 2019 election. This victory can be partly attributed to a deepfake video featuring the late Muthuvel Karunanidhi. The video, which appeared to show Karunanidhi endorsing his son MK Stalin, had a profound emotional impact on voters, reinforcing Stalin’s leadership credentials and swaying public opinion in favor of the INDIA alliance. This instance underscores the potential of deepfakes to exploit the electorate’s emotions and memories, significantly boosting the party’s performance at the polls.
In Rajasthan, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), maintained a strong presence by winning 14 seats, compared to a complete sweep of 25 seats in 2019. Despite the reduced number of seats, the innovative use of deepfake technology by BJP volunteers like Shakti Singh Rathore facilitated efficient and personalized voter outreach. Rathore’s use of deepfake-generated videos and calls enabled him to connect with voters individually, highlighting the benefits of BJP’s social programs. This strategic use of deepfakes likely contributed to the NDA’s ability to retain a significant number of seats in a challenging electoral environment.
In Andhra Pradesh, the NDA made substantial gains, securing 21 seats, a dramatic increase from zero seats in 2019. Similarly, in Telangana, the NDA won 8 seats, doubling their previous count from the 2019 election. The success in these states can be linked to the effective use of AI tools and deepfakes to overcome linguistic barriers and deliver personalized messages to voters. For instance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s use of the Bhashini AI tool to translate his speeches into regional languages helped the NDA reach a wider audience. Additionally, AI-powered chatbots on Modi’s app played a crucial role in disseminating information about government policies, enhancing voter engagement and support.
In Odisha, the NDA won 20 seats, a significant increase from 8 seats in 2019. The use of deepfake technology and AI tools for real-time translation and voter outreach played a crucial role in this success. By addressing linguistic diversity and enabling personalized communication, the NDA managed to expand its influence and secure a greater number of seats.
Ease of Creating Deepfakes
The ease of creating deepfakes, as demonstrated by a recent experiment where a Wharton Professor produced a convincing replica of himself in just a few minutes and with minimal expense, underscores the alarming accessibility of this technology. Leveraging neural networks to mimic speech, facial expressions, and body movements, deepfake creation, once a labor-intensive and costly process, has now been streamlined by machine learning algorithms and off-the-shelf software. This accessibility poses significant threats, allowing for the potential defamation, reputational damage, or manipulation of both public figures and everyday individuals. Despite efforts to regulate deepfakes through legislation and technological advancements in detection, the challenges persist, as their rapid dissemination and elusive origins complicate effective control measures. Vigilance, media literacy, and critical scrutiny of online content are essential safeguards against the deceptive potential of deepfakes in an era where the boundaries between truth and manipulation blur.
The writer is a Media and Fact Checking Consultant, Disinformation Researcher, Head of Counter Disinformation Unit at President’s Media
