Artificial intelligence is swiftly changing the way we interact with information. It is slowly replacing the things that were routine with easier solutions that appeal to many of us. On social media platforms alike, we see AI-generated videos and false news articles with fake pictures that sometimes are a bit too difficult to detect. This transformation is slowly eroding our trust in what we used to think of as real news. With this growing evolution that seems all too paradoxical, one question still remains. Will AI be incorporated in politics, and if it will, how will the public trust something they have long ago stopped believing in?
To answer the question, at least partially, well, yes. Artificial intelligence will most definitely be affiliated with politics, considering the fact that candidates, campaign staff and election administrators have always adapted to new forms of technology. The proof exists in the form of history. Political TV advertisements, propaganda posters and newspaper articles have always existed as a major support system for politicians to garner support from the public. Similarly today, social media is a major means for politicians to reach the public and gather support from them. With AI existing, it will surely be the next ladder for political candidates to climb on and use for whatever it is that they need to do.
But the latter part of the question still exists. We have already started to become cynical of the information that we see online. Every single video or picture that seems to be a little too shiny or clear is looked at with a lens of scrutiny. And by no means is that wrong. In this day and age it is essential for people to be careful of what kind of information they absorb. However, this completely changes the whole situation. It is well known that misinformation spreads faster than truth, and with AI, the spread of misinformation will be more efficient. In political races, the use of deepfake along with fake AI-generated propaganda can be especially dangerous, as not only can it be used to tarnish the image of the competitor, a practice that has been efficiently repeated throughout history, but also ruin the trust between a candidate and the voter. By then, the public will no longer trust what they see due to repeated use of AI-generated information.
This does not just affect us during the said political races but also as a society. What do we believe in when seeing is no longer believing? Soon, we might become so doubtful of what we see and hear that we might also dismiss the truth as yet another false narrative. This might lead to curiosity being replaced with apathy and cynicism when people stop interacting with any sort of information, leading to the complete collapse of a shared political reality.
Our reality is changing rapidly. AI will soon exert unprecedented influence over human beliefs that might just change our complete perception of reality and truth. The use of AI in political races will be a part of this change. If we cannot trust the people who are supposed to be our leaders, who do we even trust?