CEC warns of AI misuse on election night, plans 24/7 response cell

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has warned of potential misuse of artificial intelligence during the election period, particularly on polling night, and pledged round-the-clock monitoring to curb misinformation and disinformation.

Speaking on Tuesday (October 21) as chief guest at a workshop on AI at the Election Training Institute, the CEC said AI abuse had become “a global problem” and the commission intended to prevent it in the upcoming polls.

He said the Election Commission would set up a central cell to counter misinformation and disinformation, adding that expert input was needed before the unit is finalised.

The CEC noted that “many things can happen at night” during elections, and that the risk of AI-enabled manipulation could be higher then. He sought advice on staffing needs, response workflows and rapid information verification.

Election Commissioners, the EC secretary and technologists from several universities attended the workshop, organised by the IDEA-2 project.