AI and Democracy: Reponsibly Utilizing AI for Political and Electoral Purposes

Objectives

The risks associated with using AI to fuel misinformation and influence voting choice are becoming increasingly worrying.

Indeed, generative AI tools are posing unprecedented challenges by helping actors to create deepfakes, micro-target the electorate or carry out cyberattacks in ever more efficient, rapid and cost-effective ways. These uses could have numerous negative consequences: loss of public confidence in democratic institutions, manipulation of opinion, extreme polarization of debates, etc.

CEIMIA and IVADO are joining forces to raise awareness, equip and collaborate with public bodies and civil society actors on these crucial issues, in addition to helping to better understand and convey how AI can, in some cases, be used as a lever to strengthen our democratic processes.

Project description

The project will focus on a number of areas, enabling the two organizations to draw on their complementary experience:

- Setting up research and monitoring activities;
- Supporting the reflection of public bodies such as Élections Québec, as well as other players in civil society;
- Collaborating with renowned specialists on a Quebec, Canadian and international scale to develop new public policies.

The two organizations will also work to transfer knowledge on the subject of AI and democracies, implement awareness programs, develop risk management frameworks and develop tools to protect electoral and democratic processes from the abuses of AI use.

Managing data transparently, effectively and responsibly has never been more important, especially when it comes to AI and machine learning. We need to ensure data is available and accessible so we can unlock its potential for humanity, and I'm delighted to see that this GPAI-led initiative is taking practical steps to demonstrate how Privacy-Enhancing Technology (PET) can help improve data availability. This guidance and framework are vital for AI developers and data scientists as we shape the future of data governance.

Joanna Shields

CEO of BenevolentAI, Previous Co-Chair of the GPAI Steering Committee and Chair of the GPAI Multistakeholder Experts Group Plenary

Privacy and sovereignty-preserving tech is very exciting because of its potential to unlock new capabilities. The GPAI-led project will show how these ideas work in an end-to-end system and will inform our future policies and practices. This demonstration project is just what the public and private sectors need to help shape the future of data governance.

Dewey Murdick

Director, Center for Security and Emerging Technology, Georgetown University and former GPAI Data Governance Working Group expert

Resources

Project Team

Janick Houde

CEIMIA

Partnerships and Ecosystems Coordinator

Amélie Côté

IVADO

Knowledge Broker - Responsible AI

Sophie Fallaha

CEIMIA

Executive Director

Mathieu Marcotte

CEO & AI Governance and Literacy Consultant

Phronesis

Catherine Régis

Professor | Co-director of the research programs of the Canadian Institute on AI Safety and Director of Social Innovation and International Policy

Université de Montréal (UdeM) | IVADO

Réjean Roy

Director of Training and Knowledge Mobilization

IVADO

Collaborative opportunities with CEIMIA

Collaborating with CEIMIA means contributing to the development of responsible AI. For this project we welcome collaborations with public bodies and civil society actors or other actors interested in the use of AI for political or electoral purposes.

If you are interested in collaborating on this project, or have any questions, please contact info@ceimia.org.

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