TOKYO, Jul 14 (News On Japan) –
Artificial intelligence might pose each alternatives and threats to democracy, says Yutaka Matsuo, a number one AI researcher on the University of Tokyo, who warns that voters should stay vigilant in regards to the affect of AI-generated content material in political campaigns.
In a wide-ranging interview, Matsuo emphasised that whereas AI may also help deepen voters’ understanding of political points, it may also be misused to govern opinions, distort details, and undermine honest elections.
Matsuo identified that with the unfold of deepfakes and artificial media on social networks, there’s rising concern that AI is already harming democratic processes. “People need to be careful not to accept information at face value,” he mentioned. “Even though some platforms use AI for fact-checking, no system is perfect. It’s important to check sources and cross-reference information.”
Looking forward, Matsuo mentioned he believes that AI, if used appropriately, might improve democracy by serving to each candidates and voters make clear their positions. For instance, AI instruments might summarize advanced insurance policies or have interaction in dialogue with customers to assist them assume extra deeply about their selections. However, he additionally warned that malicious makes use of—comparable to embedding language that solely AI understands to bias evaluation—might mislead voters who depend on AI-generated explanations.
He likened the potential for AI-driven manipulation to previous instances comparable to Cambridge Analytica, the place consumer information was weaponized to affect political habits. “Marketing and opinion shaping are not that different,” he famous. “As techniques to persuade consumers evolve, they could be adapted to guide voter behavior as well.”
Matsuo pressured the significance of transparency in how AI is utilized in political communication. Voters, he mentioned, have the best to know whether or not the knowledge they’re seeing has been tailor-made to them utilizing AI and whether or not it’s artificially generated. He added that this consciousness is important for making considerate voting selections: “We should ask ourselves, why am I voting for this candidate? What influenced me? Was it a social media video I saw yesterday? Was it real?”
He additionally noticed a divide between established political events and newer ones relating to AI and social media. While main events are usually cautious, smaller events typically embrace these instruments extra aggressively, leveraging digital platforms to amplify their voices. “AI and SNS can empower smaller groups, but the impact depends on how they’re used,” he mentioned. “There’s a wide range of outcomes, both positive and negative.”
Despite the potential for misuse, Matsuo mentioned elections ought to finally be guided by correct and dependable info. “AI can be a powerful tool for understanding,” he concluded, “but only if it is used properly and voters stay aware of how they’re being influenced.”
When requested whether or not Japan’s present election system is well-designed from an AI researcher’s perspective, Matsuo described it as “a system that may not capture every nuanced preference of voters but one that avoids making major mistakes.” In different phrases, whereas imperfect, the democratic course of is structured to mirror public will in a broadly steady manner—a view that underscores the necessity for considerate integration of AI into future political techniques.
Source: テレ東BIZ