The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) during elections is a major concern for India, with Intelligence agencies worried that foreign countries may fuel aggression and hate in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Top government sources have told CNN-News18 that prominent figures may fall prey to deepfake technology that could alter fake content to look real.
The Intelligence input has been shared with the state police, Election Commission and ministries dealing with Information Technology.
The sources said they could try and remove the fake posts from social media platforms but the major problem was deepfake videos circulating on chatting apps. “There are algorithms available to stop the circulation of any banned video. China and other countries from EU may use these AI-based anchors, voice clips of prominent leaders and fake audio leaks to shake the faith of people in one particular party or sitting government,” they said.
Foreign countries, especially China and EU, are trying hard to disturb elections so that the Narendra Modi government does not get a third term, they added.
“The Indian fabric is very delicate and country is vast. This kind of fake narrative is dangerous and major turmoil can be created without much cost.”
The perils of Artificial Intelligence have been highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on several occasions. Recently, in a chat with Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, the prime minister said he too had been at the receiving end of deepfakes.
“I have observed that without proper training, there’s a significant risk of misuse if such a powerful technology is placed in unskilled hands,” PM Modi said.
He added: “I have engaged with leading minds in AI. I suggested that we should start with a clear watermark on AI-generated content to prevent misinformation. This isn’t to devalue AI creations but to recognise them for what they are. In a vast democratic country like India, anyone can misuse deepfake technology… For example, if they misuse my voice… initially people will believe it, leading to widespread uproar.
“It’s crucial to acknowledge that deepfake is AI-generated and mention its source. These measures are really important, especially in the initial days. We need to establish some do’s and don’ts. Moreover, one should first engage AI within a field of expertise. Simply using it because one is tired or over-utilising it is not the best approach. If I fail to make decisions and risk merely entertaining myself with the technology, then rather than utilising it for meaningful value addition, it would be just a way to pass time.”
This is not the first time the prime minister has brought attention to deepfakes. Speaking at a BJP Diwali event last year, PM Modi revealed that he had asked the ChatGpt team to flag deepfakes and put out a warning when such videos were circulated online.
The Prime Minister illustrated his point by citing a deepfake video of him doing Garba, a festival dance of Gujarat that is popular across the country. “I recently saw a video in which I was seen playing Garba. I have not done Garba since school,” he shared.
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