By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 6: Political parties and their campaigners have been advised against misusing artificial intelligence (AI) to spread defamatory content or discredit their opponents during the coming 13th Sarawak Election.
Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) information chief Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said while AI could be a useful tool for campaigning, its misuse to deceive the public or tarnish the reputation of rival candidates could have serious consequences.
He noted that the challenge posed by AI-generated content was not unique to Sarawak but was being faced by countries around the world as technology continued to advance.
“Technology can be used for good if it is used with good intentions, but it can also become harmful if used to deceive others,” he said during a press conference at his office here today, following the Election Commission’s (EC) announcement of the key dates for the Sarawak Election.
Abdul Karim cautioned that AI-generated videos, particularly short clips featuring candidates appearing to say or do things they had never actually done, could mislead voters.
“This is particularly dangerous for people in rural areas, who may come across short videos featuring the faces of candidates saying or doing things that they have never actually said or done.
“We must exercise our own judgement. If we simply accept everything we see without questioning it, it could lead to many undesirable consequences,” he said.
He urged campaigners to use AI responsibly and avoid resorting to technology to slander or discredit their political opponents.
Abdul Karim also reminded the public to exercise caution when consuming information on social media, stressing the importance of evaluating content rather than accepting everything at face value.
“Even dogs and cats can be made to dance, and AI can make almost anything appear real. Even babies can be portrayed as speaking fluently through AI-generated content,” he said.
On the role of social media in the coming election, he said political parties and candidates could no longer afford to ignore the platform, given the significant changes in how people communicated and obtained information.
He said social media had become an important campaigning tool for candidates to introduce themselves to voters and highlight their backgrounds, abilities, academic qualifications and achievements.
However, he stressed that online campaigning should complement, rather than replace, traditional face-to-face engagement with voters.
“Voters also want to see candidates for themselves, how they speak, how they present themselves and how they interact with the community when visiting villages,” he said.
He said such encounters allowed voters to assess a candidate’s character, including whether they were humble, respectful towards the elderly and able to engage meaningfully with the community.
While social media provided an avenue for candidates to promote themselves, Abdul Karim said personal interaction remained important in allowing voters to make informed decisions. — DayakDaily
