In a digital age where information travels at the speed of light, concerns about the impact of AI-powered disinformation on Canadian politics are on the rise. Recent incidents involving deepfake technology have raised questions about the integrity of elections and the accountability of politicians. As Canada’s next federal election looms, the country must confront the growing influence of AI-generated content on its democratic processes.
Last year, just days before Slovakia’s national election, a manipulated voice recording surfaced, falsely suggesting that Michal Simecka, leader of the Progressive Slovakia party, was engaged in a conversation about buying votes with a local journalist. This “deepfake” hoax, created using artificial intelligence, cast a shadow over the election, although it remains unclear if it directly affected the outcome. Nevertheless, it exemplified the potential dangers of AI-driven disinformation.
Experts, like Hany Farid from the University of California-Berkeley, point to two main threats arising from the fusion of AI content and politics. Firstly, AI technology could allow politicians to evade accountability by denying reality, as the specter of deepfakes hangs over public discourse. Secondly, the ease with which fake content can be generated poses a serious risk to individual candidates, who may become victims of malicious AI-generated attacks.
Canada’s cyber intelligence agency, the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), is not taking these threats lightly. CSE has the authority to take misleading content offline and has prepared for potential AI assaults on Canadian elections. While CSE’s use of paper ballots provides some protection against online interference, the agency remains vigilant in its efforts to safeguard the democratic process. CSE, along with other agencies like the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the RCMP, will share intelligence about attempts to manipulate voters with the federal government before and during elections.
However, the public’s ability to detect deepfakes lags behind the technology’s advancement. According to CSE’s December report, it is “very likely that the capacity to generate deepfakes exceeds our ability to detect them.” This highlights the crucial need for public education and awareness campaigns to help Canadians spot counterfeit online content.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner has initiated a bipartisan parliamentary caucus on emerging technology. This caucus aims to educate MPs from all parties about the dangers and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence. Rempel Garner is also advocating for the implementation of watermarking AI-generated content to help users distinguish between real and manipulated information.
As AI continues to evolve, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to combat its malicious use. Experts like Farid emphasize that a combination of technological solutions, regulatory measures, public education, and post-analysis of questionable content is necessary to rebuild trust in the online world. Public engagement is key, and initiatives like Concordia University’s board game to teach people how disinformation spreads can help individuals become more discerning consumers of information.
With billions of people voting in elections worldwide, including a potentially contentious U.S. presidential contest, the threat of AI-powered disinformation is democracy’s biggest test in decades. Canada, with its commitment to democratic principles, must remain vigilant and proactive in countering the insidious influence of AI-generated falsehoods on its political landscape.
