AI and Deepfakes Raise Concerns for Singapore Voters Ahead of Elections – Fintech Singapore

A recent study by Jumio, a provider AI-driven identity verification and compliance solutions, has found that a significant majority of Singapore consumers are concerned about the impact of deepfakes on the upcoming elections.

It revealed that 83% of Singaporeans are concerned about for AI and deepfakes in politics, compared to 75% globally.

Despite the possibility of encountering audio, video, and image deepfakes, 66% of Singaporean respondents still trust online political news, higher than the global average of 43%.

According to the Jumio 2024 Online Identity Study, 83% of respondents in Singapore fear that artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfakes could sway the outcome of the elections, while 76% reported increased skepticism towards online content.

The study highlights how advancements in AI and machine learning have made it easier to create convincing fake news, altered images, videos, and audio recordings.

These technologies can spread misinformation and potentially deceive the public.

The concern is not unfounded, as similar issues have been observed globally.

For example, before Indonesia’s February elections, AI was used to spread misleading information, including a long-deceased army general endorsing the incumbent.

Singapore is considering measures, such as a temporary ban on political deepfakes, to mitigate these risks ahead of its elections, which must occur by November 2025.

This approach mirrors South Korea’s recent 90-day ban on deepfakes before its April 2024 election.

Jumio’s research, which surveyed over 8,000 adults across the UK, US, Singapore, and Mexico, provides a global perspective on the issue.

“With half of the global population participating in elections this year, the potential influence and impact of generative AI and deepfakes demand our immediate attention. Public faith in online information is crumbling, demanding a transparent discourse to confront this challenge and empower citizens with the tools to discern and report deepfakes.

Online platforms hold a critical duty to leverage cutting-edge detection measures like multimodal, biometric-based verification systems to fortify our defenses against deepfakes influencing pivotal elections.”

said Robert Prigge, Jumio’s CEO.

The growing prevalence of deepfakes not only threatens the political landscape but also poses significant risks in sectors like finance, where similar concerns about identity verification and fraud are being addressed.

Featured image credit: Edited from Freepik

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• Source: https://fintechnews.sg/99381/ai/ai-and-deepfakes-raise-concerns-for-singapore-voters-ahead-of-elections/