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How Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan Uses AI to Lead Election Campaign From Jail

© AFP 2023 ARIF ALIAn activist of Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party listens to Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan's speech on a phone, in Zaman Park in Lahore on May 13, 2023.
An activist of Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party listens to Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan's speech on a phone, in Zaman Park in Lahore on May 13, 2023. - Sputnik India, 1920, 23.01.2024
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In the ever-evolving landscape of politics, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a formidable tool for politicians seeking to gain an edge in communication, strategy and decision-making. AI is making its mark, but its integration into politics comes with both promises and pitfalls.
Pakistan's jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan, has used the benefits of moden technology for the second time already, to address supporters in an International Virtual Convention via audio clip generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

The 4-minute video was posted on Khan's official X (formerly Twitter) handle on January 21, in which the AI-generated voice of the former prime minister speaks about the civilian massacre in Gaza and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, sending a grim message for the international community: "the world is heading towards a grave international crisis".

Khan also touched upon Pakistan's domestic affairs, expressing concerns that the Pakistani society is struggling with internal conflict it has never witnessed before: "the entire state machinery" is bending the law and constitution of Pakistan just to keep him and his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) out of the electoral process, he said.
Within 24 hours the speech generated over 700,000 views and was re-shared 22,000 times on X (formerly Twitter). The convention itself went on for over two hours and various political analysts and PTI members held discussions on the future of the party, upcoming elections in the country. The convention was watched by over 20,000 viewers on YouTube.
The recent video by AI clone Imran Khan proves that artificial intelligence has definitely entered Pakistan's political arena as it is the second time the former premier has sought to address his supporters using AI: in December, his party circulated an audio played over a photograph of Khan during a rally of his party which drew more than 1.5 million views on YouTube and was attended live by tens of thousands on other social media.
For the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) artificial intelligence is proving to be a useful political tool as their leader is in prison, there is a media ban on PTI and its leaders were stopped from holding public rallies. But the AI addresses of Khan talking to his supporters from prison, has kept the party relevant and has shown that it will not be muzzled.
© AP Photo / K.M. ChaudarySupporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan listen to his speech during a rally in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, March 26, 2023, to pressure the government of Shahbaz Sharif to agree to hold snap elections.
Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan listen to his speech during a rally in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, March 26, 2023, to pressure the government of Shahbaz Sharif to agree to hold snap elections. - Sputnik India, 1920, 23.01.2024
Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan listen to his speech during a rally in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, March 26, 2023, to pressure the government of Shahbaz Sharif to agree to hold snap elections.
Looking at how AI impacts Pakistan’s political arena, Sputnik spoke with a political analyst and former Unit Manager of Engro Corporation, Dr. Shahid Rashid, who said that artificial intelligence enables tailored and targeted campaign strategies, ensuring messages resonate effectively.

AI Gives Edge Over Traditional Campaigning

"Artificial intelligence is redefining the ways in which we engage in politics today. It marks a significant shift in outreach strategies for political parties. Just look at how almost a million people watched Imran Khan’s recent speech. Just a decade ago such a thing would have been inconceivable, as once a politician is sent to prison you don't hear from him, you don’t see him, he disappears from the public eye and people quickly forget and move on with their lives. But Khan and PTI are still here, they are talking and telling their supporters not to give up! So they have definitely achieved something that had never been done before in Pakistan's political history," Rashid told Sputnik.

Looking at another benefit of using AI in political campaigns the analyst said that its predictive analytics that AI algorithms can forecast political trends, helping politicians anticipate shifts in public opinion and adjust their strategies accordingly.
“This predictive power aids in proactive decision-making. Hence, it is highly likely that PTI is using that and it gives an edge over other political parties," Rashid stated.
Khan and his party officials used AI for talking to supporters because the party currently faces a state-backed crackdown on physical gatherings, media black outs and jail terms for its top political leaders. Information ministry in Pakistan's caretaker government assigned to supervise the elections has been repeatedly accused of favoring Khan's opponents such as PML-N Nawaz's party.
Hence, considering these factors - digital technology, social media and AI has enabled PTI politicians to engage with constituents on a larger scale, addressing concerns, answering queries, and providing information in real-time. That leads to the public becoming more informed and gives them a chance to make an evidence-based decision in the upcoming elections.
However, despite the many benefits of artificial intelligence in the political arena, there are some who feel that artificially generated content in campaigns could spell trouble for candidates and voters alike because of disinformation.

Deepfakes & Information Manipulation

Pakistani businessman, architect and political observer, Arsalan Khalid, regularly uses artificial intelligence in his projects, but in conversation with Sputnik India he said that he would be careful with using it in political campaigns.

"There is a big risk of manipulation and deepfakes with AI. The information barrage of social media declines trust in traditional media and the increasing believability of deep fakes may create this perfect storm to spread misinformation. I remember reading recently about how a deep fake video circulated on [X] that appeared to show Biden announcing that he had re-introduced the draft and would be sending Americans to fight in Ukraine. The clip initially displayed a caption describing it as an AI 'imagination,' but then the disclaimer was lost through circulation, showing how even transparently shared AI use can turn into misinformation. Imagine the scandal and danger of such a clip!" Khalid told Sputnik.

He also said that the extensive use of AI in political campaigns raises concerns about privacy infringement as collection and analysis of personal data for targeted messaging may undermine individuals' privacy rights.

“I hope PTI knows what they are doing, but in Pakistan not everyone is as tech-savvy and smart as PTI’s social media board. There are many other political parties who may decide to also implement AI in their campaigns. Plus people can be paid to spread misinformation, there are hackers here too, and politics can quickly turn into a dirty game here, so at some point you want to be careful and not share something that can outrage an already tense public,” the observer noted.

Another issue that can arise with using AI in political campaigns is job displacement. It is known that any political campaign requires thousands of people working together, but the automation of certain political tasks through AI may lead to job displacement for campaign staff or administrative roles, raising questions about the broader societal impacts of technology on employment.
"While it offers unprecedented opportunities for data-driven decision-making and tailored communication, the ethical considerations and potential negative consequences cannot be ignored," Khalid said.
Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan listens to a member of media during talk with reporters regarding the current political situation and the ongoing cases against him at his residence, in Lahore, Pakistan, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. - Sputnik India, 1920, 15.01.2024
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