Welcome to the AI era, where the lines between human insights and machine intelligence blur in the realm of political reporting. At PartyParty, as we prepare for the EU elections, we’re acutely aware of this new dynamic, with AI revolutionising campaigns: deep fakes, tailored messages, and even bots influencing social media. It’s the new reality of today’s political campaigns across Europe and what we’ll see in the coming months. Here’s how our unique approach allows us to cover the latest AI-driven strategies of political parties with the irreplaceable value of human expertise.
AI’s growing influence in campaigns
What does AI-infused political campaigning look like? If it’s done well, then you’d never be able to tell, blurring the ethics of its usage. But the best political strategists are those who can thrive in that murky in-between and capitalise on it. Here’s how AI in politics has recently looked like in European campaigns.
Tactic #1 – deep fakes and misinformation: A striking example is from Poland, where the opposition party, Civic Platform (Platforma Obywatelska, PO), used deep fake technology to imitate the voice of former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Why it matters: This incident raised significant concerns about the ethical implications and the potential for such technology to undermine the integrity of democratic processes. The use of AI in political campaigns has notably increased the potential for misinformation.
Tactic #2 – generative AI in campaign management: In Germany, political parties are increasingly using AI campaign management systems. These systems, while enhancing communication among party members and voters, also pose privacy concerns due to the potential for triangulating individual identities from anonymised data.
Why it matters: This highlights the delicate balance between leveraging technology for campaign efficiency and safeguarding personal privacy.
Tactic #3 – AI-driven voter engagement and micro-targeting: The role of AI in political campaigns extends beyond content creation to engaging voters and personalising political messages. For example, AI systems have been utilised to predict the likelihood of legislative bills passing and to tailor political messaging to individual voters based on their predicted susceptibility to specific arguments.
Why it matters: Such practices, seen in countries like the United States and Germany, demonstrate the power of AI in shaping political narratives and influencing voter behaviour.
Tactic #4 – bots and social media manipulation in France: The use of bots for political manipulation is another significant concern. In the French presidential election, bots were deployed to amplify the #MacronLeaks hashtag on social media, spreading leaked information mixed with false reports to undermine Emmanuel Macron’s campaign.
Why it matters: These bots, disguised as human accounts, effectively spread misinformation and contributed to a polarised political environment.
Inside PartyParty: a human touch in the AI-driven political arena
Using AI in campaigning, while innovative, raises a whole set of ethical concerns. So how do you stay informed to know when such tactics are being used?
Here’s where PartyParty steps in.
We’re not your run-of-the-mill news platform. We harness human insights from the practitioners at the heart of politics. Our contributors are rubbing elbows with decision-makers, not just watching from the sidelines. They’re in the thick of it, offering us the real scoop from the corridors of power. This human element is our ace in the hole, especially when AI is blurring lines left, right, and centre.
Our team’s on-the-ground experience becomes our north star—we’re talking about seasoned political pros who can sniff out the difference between genuine political developments and AI-generated smokescreens. They’re our fact-checkers, our truth-tellers, in this age of digital trickery.
But even the most seasoned professional needs to be checked. Our commitment to keeping things transparent is to make sure our readers know exactly where our info is coming from and who’s behind it. No smoke and mirrors here – just good old-fashioned journalistic integrity.
Following our coverage of the European elections until June, you’ll be sure that we remain committed to the following approach.
- Highlighting human insights: In an era dominated by AI, our focus remains on bringing forth the human element in political narratives. We rely on insights from political professionals who provide context and depth beyond what AI-generated content can offer.
- Fact-checking and verification: We are dedicated to rigorously fact-checking AI-driven information. Our role becomes crucial in distinguishing between AI-generated narratives and genuine political discourse.
- Transparency and ethical reporting: Our reporting aims to clearly delineate the use of AI in political campaigns. We maintain transparency about the sources and nature of the information we present, ensuring our audience can trust the integrity of our content.
- Educating and informing our audience: Recognising the challenges posed by AI in politics, we aim to educate our audience about these developments. Our coverage includes not only the innovative uses of AI but also its potential pitfalls in the electoral process.
As we gear up to cover the EU elections, it’s not just about reporting the news. We’re here to cut through the AI hype and bring you the real story, with all its human nuances. Think of us as your insider friend in the political arena, bringing you the tales that matter, straight from the source.
