Ex-Tory minister issues warning over 'corrosive' impact of AI at next election
A former Tory Cabinet minister has urged the Government to do more to prevent the next general election being sabotaged by artificial intelligence.
Ex-Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland said the threat posed by deepfakes - fake audio and video clips that appear realistic - was a “clear and present danger” to democracy. With elections around the world in 2024, including the US, UK, and India, Sir Robert called for better protections against AI-generated misinformation.
The Conservative MP told the BBC that misinformation in general elections has been around for decades, but he added: “Now we’re in a world where even in your own bedroom you can allow generative AI to produce content that can easily be shared in a matter of moments and on a scale I think you’ve never seen before.
“I think that will potentially have a hugely corrosive effect on trust in information.” He said Rishi Sunak’s recent AI summit at Bletchley Park was a “very good start” in the Government “trying to knit together our approach on this”.
But he added: “As we hit probably the biggest election year in our history, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Britain, America - all going to polls - now is the time for us to act domestically and also to work with the Five Eyes countries to combat what would be a devastatingly corrosive trend if it is allowed to continue unchecked."
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He also told the BBC: “Unless the policymakers [in the UK] are showing some leadership on the need for a strong and effective domestic set of guardrails - plus international work - then we are going to be behind the curve." His comments come after a faked audio of the London Mayor Sadiq Khan dismissing the importance of Armistice Day was circulated on social media last month.
Mr Khan later said the fake audio was “intended to sow seeds of hatred and division” and warned of a “slippery slope” for democracy if deep fake content and AI were not properly regulated. He said in November: “The Government is seized of the danger this poses. Just think about future general election, think about - God forbid - future referenda.
“The Government does take it seriously, from the conversations I’ve had. It’s a serious issue. Just think about the slippery slope, if we don’t take action." In the autumn a fake video audio clip of Keir Starmer verbally abusing aides was also circulated online during the party’s annual conference in October.
A Government spokesperson said: “Digitally manipulated content can pose a severe threat to democratic processes, so we take this very seriously. We are working extensively across Government to ensure we are ready to rapidly respond to any threats to our democratic processes, through our Defending Democracy Taskforce and dedicated government teams.
“Our Online Safety Act goes further by putting new requirements on social platforms to swiftly remove illegal misinformation and disinformation - including where it is AI-generated - as soon as they become aware of it.”
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