In a groundbreaking development during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in India, a local leader’s voice generated by artificial intelligence (AI) reached out to a prospective voter to discuss their concerns. The voter mentioned electricity cuts as a major issue, prompting the AI-generated leader to apologize for the situation and promise improvement.
This innovative technology, deployed on a pilot basis in Rajasthan by the Ajmer-based AI services company, Polymath Solution, is changing the way politicians interact with voters. The AI system processes the voter’s input and generates a response in real-time, mimicking a conversation with a human leader.
While the technology is still being fine-tuned for languages other than English and Hindi, it represents a new frontier in political campaigning. In addition to AI-generated voices, politicians are also using augmented reality (AR) to engage with voters through QR codes that display computer-generated images and messages.
With over 800 million internet users in India, the use of AI and AR in political campaigns raises questions about the ethical boundaries of technology in elections. From deepfake videos of politicians to targeted messaging using AI-generated content, the role of technology in shaping voter opinions is evolving rapidly.
As political parties continue to leverage AI and AR for outreach, the impact of these technologies on the democratic process remains a topic of debate. With the potential for misinformation and manipulation, the use of AI in elections highlights the need for transparency and accountability in political communication.