The impact of artificial intelligence on global elections in 2024 was more nuanced and behind-the-scenes than many experts initially predicted.
Key findings: Contrary to widespread concerns, generative AI’s influence on elections manifested primarily through operational support rather than through deepfakes and disinformation.
- Political campaigns largely avoided using AI-generated deepfakes, citing technical complexities and emerging legal restrictions
- Approximately half of tracked deepfakes served as expressions of support or fandom rather than tools for deception
- Some notable exceptions occurred, such as misleading deepfakes circulated before Bangladesh’s elections to promote voter boycotts
Campaign operations: AI technology found significant practical applications in campaign management and voter outreach.
- Campaign teams utilized AI for routine tasks including email composition, advertisement creation, and speech writing
- The technology proved valuable for language translation services and campaign strategy development
- Both Microsoft and Google provided AI training programs to United States political campaigns
Detection challenges: The ability to identify AI-generated content remains problematic, particularly in regions outside North America and Western Europe.
- Current detection tools struggle to keep pace with rapidly advancing AI technology
- The existence of synthetic media has created a “liar’s dividend,” enabling politicians to falsely claim authentic media is fabricated
- This technological gap has implications for election integrity and public trust
Democratic implications: AI’s role in electoral processes presents both opportunities and challenges for democratic systems.
- Smaller political campaigns could benefit from access to AI tools that level the resource playing field
- In authoritarian states like Belarus, AI-powered virtual candidates emerged as symbols of political protest
- The technology’s accessibility could democratize campaign capabilities while simultaneously raising concerns about manipulation
Future trajectory: While 2024 may not have fulfilled predictions about AI’s dominance in elections, its influence in political processes is likely to expand.
- The current implementation of AI in political campaigns represents early adoption rather than peak utilization
- Political organizations are still exploring effective ways to integrate AI tools while navigating ethical and legal considerations
- The focus appears to be shifting from sensational applications like deepfakes to practical campaign operations
Looking ahead: The integration of AI in electoral processes is evolving toward more subtle and systematic applications, suggesting that future elections may see AI’s influence grow through operational efficiency rather than viral content manipulation.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...