The future we were warned about during the artificial intelligence boom a year ago has arrived as political campaigns, activists and others use the technology's latest tools to win over voters, even bringing back politicians from the dead, in a year that will see a record number of elections.
Despite being in jail, Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan used AI to not only speak to supporters, but also declare victory for his Tehreek-e-Insaf party after the February 8 general election.
Just days before Indonesia's elections last week, the Golkar political party released a video featuring an AI-generated clone of the dictator Suharto, who died in 2008, to rally voters. Viewed millions of times on social media platforms, the video raised questions about the ethics of portraying dead people in the context of current events.
In India, five-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu state M Karunanidhi, who died in 2018, was resurrected with the help of AI technology to appear in a video endorsing his son, MK Stalin.
Recently in the US, a robocall impersonating President Joe Biden prompted the Federal Communications Commission to ban the use of AI-generated voices. The commission said it was “making voice cloning technology used in common robocall scams targeting consumers illegal … giving state attorneys general across the country new tools to go after bad actors behind the nefarious robocalls”.
The tidal wave of political messaging with realistic computer-generated videos and audio, known as deepfakes, comes as the rapid development of AI technology has improved the quality of such content dramatically. One recent study found that humans were unable to accurately detect more than a quarter of deepfake speech samples.
At the same time, these advances have exposed the shortcomings of regulatory efforts around the world on several levels.
First, despite efforts and initiatives to establish global standards, implementation of international AI regulation remains elusive.
There is also the seemingly timeless problem of regulators playing a game of catch-up, with a deceptive AI-generated video or audio clip receiving millions of views before any action can be taken.
Further complicating regulation are the various implementations of AI video enhancement tools to facilitate quick translations of speeches into different languages. These have prompted some to warn against any one-size-fits-all bans that might block the use of AI to broaden the audience for educational videos.
Timothy Kneeland, a political science and history professor at Nazareth College in New York state, said there was no silver bullet solution on the international stage, and that the reactive rather than proactive response from various governments is not necessarily a surprise.
“Think about radio … Commercial radio began in the US in the 1920s and doesn't get regulated until the mid-1920s,” he said, pointing out that regulators have not been as slow as it might seem with regard to AI.
Mr Kneeland also said that although quaint, the best potential safeguard against misleading AI content could be public awareness campaigns.
“You have to train the public to be aware and conscious,” he said.
While the jury is still out on just how much impact deepfake political content will have on the democratic process, Mr Kneeland said voters already take political messaging with a grain of salt.
Given the highly polarised political environment in many parts of the world, with persuadable swing voters few and far between, “I don't know that people necessarily want their minds changed when it comes to politics right now”, he said.
Some search engines and social media platforms are attempting to stay one step ahead while also embracing the possibilities offered by AI-based media tools.
In November, Meta banned political campaigns from utilising the company's generative AI advertising tools that are used by other private sector organisations.
More recently, the social media giant said it would attach a disclaimer, “imagined with AI”, to content created with these tools, in addition to signing an agreement with industry partners such as Adobe, Microsoft, TikTok, OpenAI and others to help detect AI-generated content, though it remains to be seen how effective the accord will be.
Back in September, Google's parent company, Alphabet, announced it would require the disclosure of AI-generated political advertising content.
“All verified election advertisers in regions where verification is required must prominently disclose when their ads contain synthetic content that inauthentically depicts real or realistic-looking people or events,” Google said in a post in its advertising policy section.
Despite the efforts of policymakers and private companies to blunt the impact of deceptive AI content, the sheer speed of technological developments is proving to be the biggest challenge.
While the earliest artificial intelligence advances revolved around text, generative AI, which can create images and video, quickly followed and has grown in sophistication by leaps and bounds.
Most recently, OpenAI's announcement of Sora, an AI model that allows users to create realistic videos from just a few lines of text, sent shock waves through the tech industry.
OpenAI said the AI model would not yet be released to the public. Instead it would be looked at by cybersecurity experts “to assess critical areas for harms or risk”, as well as by “visual artists, designers and filmmakers to gain feedback on how to advance the model to be most helpful for creative professionals”.
“I don't think we were as cautious when social media first came out,” Mr Kneeland said of the proceed-with-caution mentality in AI.
“Sometimes it's the more subtle ways these new technologies change the human condition,” he said, adding it was still unclear how much impact deepfake content might have.
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What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Test squad: Azhar Ali (captain), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan(wicketkeeper), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah
Twenty20 squad: Babar Azam (captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Musa Khan, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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French Touch
Carla Bruni
(Verve)
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
Company%20profile
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Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Company%20profile
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Not Dark Yet
Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer
Four stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
