Nigeria’s INEC chief warns of AI election misinformation

Nigeria’s election commission chairman has warned that fabricated audio, videos and election announcements generated with artificial intelligence could mislead voters and weaken confidence in the 2027 general elections, while saying AI can also support election administration. Joash Amupitan, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), made the remarks November 2 at a summit on electoral information integrity in Abuja. He said generative AI tools have made it easier to create convincing recordings of public figures and false videos of electoral officials announcing results or changes to voting arrangements. Such material could circulate rapidly online before authorities have time to verify it or issue corrections, Amupitan said. He warned that false claims about postponing or cancelling elections could confuse voters, while fabricated results circulated during collation could undermine confidence and create tension. The extent to which such tactics will be used in Nigeria remains uncertain. Amupitan also described potential administrative uses for AI, including identifying duplicate voter registrations, planning logistics and analysing electoral data. He...