CEC Cautions Against AI Misuse on Election Night

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin has expressed serious concern over the potential misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) during the upcoming election night, calling for “round-the-clock vigilance” to prevent misinformation and disinformation.

He made the remarks on Tuesday, 21 October, while addressing a workshop on AI at the Electoral Training Institute as the chief guest. The event was organized by the IDEA-2 Project and attended by four Election Commissioners, the EC Secretary, and technology experts from various universities.

“AI misuse has now become a global problem,” said the CEC. “We want to prevent its abuse in the election. To control misinformation and disinformation, we will establish a central monitoring cell. But before that, we need your expert opinions.”

Highlighting the risks of late-night digital manipulation, Nasir Uddin noted, “Many things can happen during the night of the election. Especially, the misuse of AI is more likely at night. That is why we need to work day and night, round the clock. We must identify what kind of manpower we can engage in this task, as disinformation can come from anywhere. We also need advice on how to trace and respond to such information quickly.”

Presided over by EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, the session focused on strategies to counter emerging AI-driven election threats.

Reiterating his stance, the CEC added, “Those who are present here can give us concrete suggestions. I am not seeking a guideline here. This workshop will be effective for us if we can gather specific insights from you.”

In his concluding remarks, EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said, “AI has already had negative impacts on different aspects of our lives.”

The Election Commission’s proactive approach underscores its determination to safeguard the upcoming polls from AI-based misinformation campaigns and digital manipulation.