Amupitan: AI won’t decide 2027 election but could influence voters’ choices

INEC Chairman Joash O. Amupitan declared that artificial intelligence will not determine the outcome of the 2027 Nigerian general elections, emphasizing that the choice of leaders belongs exclusively to the Nigerian electorate. Speaking at the Artificial Intelligence and Democracy Forum in Abuja, Amupitan clarified that AI could influence the information available to voters, potentially shaping their political decisions, but stressed that technology should strengthen democracy rather than dictate electoral results.

He warned of potential threats from AI, including deepfakes, synthetic media, targeted disinformation, automated social media accounts, and cyberattacks, which could manipulate voters, spread false information, and incite ethnic and religious tensions. Amupitan assured that critical electoral decisions, such as voter accreditation and result collation, would not be automated, maintaining human accountability and oversight throughout the electoral process.

He urged political parties, candidates, and technology companies to refrain from using AI for deceptive practices and called for stronger measures against the spread of fabricated electoral content. INEC plans to develop a digital strategy to monitor the information environment and partner with technology platforms to debunk false information, particularly focusing on AI-generated content related to elections.

The INEC chairman also emphasized the need for media literacy and fact-checking to ensure the accuracy of information disseminated during the electoral process.