{"id":61877,"date":"2025-06-25T10:24:23","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T02:24:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/?p=61877"},"modified":"2025-09-23T18:02:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T10:02:24","slug":"ai-is-changing-elections-how-can-we-protect-democracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/resource\/61877\/ai-is-changing-elections-how-can-we-protect-democracy\/","title":{"rendered":"AI is changing elections: How can we protect democracy?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What does that look like in a world where AI can influence electoral processes and shift democracy as we know it?<br><br>Greenpeace seeks to shift power by unleashing and promoting people\u2019s active involvement in elections, public budgets, and other forms of civil and community participation. When transparency is ensured, elections represent an opportunity to enable climate and social justice at a systemic level.<\/p>\n\n<p>We spoke to data and social scientist&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rumman\/\">Dr. Rumman Chowdhury<\/a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/about\/system-shift\/\">the new episode of SystemShift<\/a>, a podcast that explores how we can move from a world that serves the economy to an economy that serves people and the planet.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"AI is Changing Elections: How Can We Protect Democracy? - SystemShift Podcast S3: Episode 3\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ENvqNLnE8js?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How is AI affecting democracy?<\/h2>\n\n<p>According to Dr. Rumman, generative AI is rapidly changing the way we perceive the world, particularly in the political sphere. It\u2019s not just about deepfakes, it\u2019s about how AI content is already skewing perceptions.<\/p>\n\n<p>She also explained how manipulation looks like in the AI era and how generative AI is amplifying the threats against democracy.&nbsp; The effects of social media on polarization are undeniable, with filter bubbles and ideological silos becoming the norm. Generative AI takes this further, amplifying existing challenges and creating new ones.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is it really a new issue? Not entirely<\/h2>\n\n<p>The weaknesses of democracy are not new but are being magnified as AI advances. As the podcast co-host Joycelyn Longdon said, \u201cAI is something that amplifies the issues that are already prevalent in our democratic systems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p>By muddying the waters of what\u2019s real, generative AI risks further eroding trust in institutions and science. Remember the film \u2018Don\u2019t Look Up\u2019? In a world increasingly driven by virality, generative AI exacerbates distrust by flooding the world with content that blurs the line between facts and opinions.<\/p>\n\n<p>At the heart of these challenges is data. Unlike money, which is finite, data is endlessly reusable, making it a powerful currency in the modern world. And the super-rich know this. \u201cThey don\u2019t actually need more money. They\u2019re looking for power, influence and in a sense, almost immortality,\u201d said Dr. Rumman.<\/p>\n\n<p>This dynamic shapes not only tech but also politics, where control of narratives can determine elections.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Putting the focus on democracy<\/h2>\n\n<p>As 2025 continues with elections in countries like Germany, India, and Canada, the intersection of AI and politics will only grow more significant.<\/p>\n\n<p>In regards to privacy, for instance, throughout history, our most private information has been held by doctors, lawyers, accountants, and therapists, among others, who have a fiduciary duty to use our private information and their expertise to help us. These same rules need to be applied to AI. Dr. Rumman implied that laws and regulations should be the answer.<\/p>\n\n<p>Could AI represent a historic opportunity to strengthen democracy and shift our socio-economic system for the better? For that to happen, AI and the policies around it must put people and the planet at the centre, instead of greed, profit and power.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s our role as individuals? What can we do?<\/h2>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Listen or watch the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/about\/system-shift\/\">new episode of the SystemShift podcast<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 which inspired this blog post!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Demand your government to quickly and effectively regulate AI<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep participating actively in your local elections and other civic spaces<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Report fake news and misleading content<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Help others understand and identify AI-generated content to avoid the proliferation of dis- and misinformation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose technology by small organisations that use your data ethically and responsibly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query posts-list p4-query-loop is-custom-layout-list is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-3d213aab wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Podcast Transcript<\/h2>\n\n\n<li class=\" wp-block-navigation-item see-all-link wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/news-stories\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">See all stories<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-top:24px;margin-bottom:36px\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-post-template is-layout-flow wp-block-post-template-is-layout-flow\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-61879 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-educational-resource category-green-future tag-system-shift tag-elections tag-podcasts p4-page-type-resource\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\"><figure class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/resource\/61879\/transcript-ai-is-changing-elections-how-can-we-protect-democracy\/\" target=\"_self\"  ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-malaysia-stateless\/2025\/06\/777c6f6a-greenshot-feb-6-2025.png\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image wp-stateless-item\" alt=\"Transcript: AI is changing elections: How can we protect democracy?\" style=\"object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-malaysia-stateless\/2025\/06\/777c6f6a-greenshot-feb-6-2025.png 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-malaysia-stateless\/2025\/06\/777c6f6a-greenshot-feb-6-2025-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-malaysia-stateless\/2025\/06\/777c6f6a-greenshot-feb-6-2025-510x287.png 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" data-image-size=\"post-thumbnail\" data-stateless-media-bucket=\"planet4-malaysia-stateless\" data-stateless-media-name=\"2025\/06\/777c6f6a-greenshot-feb-6-2025.png\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-terms\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/category\/educational-resource\/\">Educational Resource<\/a><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"taxonomy-post_tag wp-block-post-terms\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/tag\/system-shift\/\" rel=\"tag\">SystemShift<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\"> <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/tag\/elections\/\" rel=\"tag\">Elections<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\"> <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/tag\/podcasts\/\" rel=\"tag\">Podcasts<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/resource\/61879\/transcript-ai-is-changing-elections-how-can-we-protect-democracy\/\" target=\"_self\" >Transcript: AI is changing elections: How can we protect democracy?<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Transcript for the podcast of AI is changing elections: How can we protect democracy? <\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group posts-list-meta is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"><span class='article-list-item-author'>Greenpeace Malaysia<\/span>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2025-06-25T10:22:03+08:00\">June 25, 2025<\/time><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons carousel-controls is-horizontal is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-044bd602 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button carousel-control-prev\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\">Prev<\/button><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button carousel-control-next\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\">Next<\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What does that look like in a world where AI can influence electoral processes and shift democracy as we know it?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":61878,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"p4_og_title":"","p4_og_description":"","p4_og_image":"","p4_og_image_id":"","p4_seo_canonical_url":"","p4_campaign_name":"","p4_local_project":"","p4_basket_name":"","p4_department":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[134,130],"tags":[135,102,105],"p4-page-type":[99],"class_list":["post-61877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-educational-resource","category-green-future","tag-system-shift","tag-podcasts","tag-elections","p4-page-type-resource"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61877"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61877\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63018,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61877\/revisions\/63018"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61878"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61877"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61877"},{"taxonomy":"p4-page-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/malaysia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/p4-page-type?post=61877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}