2027: INEC chair justifies AI use, warns of disinformation

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan. Photo: INEC

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), has defended the use of artificial intelligence in election management, saying the technology is not a threat to democracy despite its potential misuse by malicious actors.

Amupitan said AI could improve electoral administration through efficient voter registration, logistics planning, data analysis and the management of large voter databases, while warning that advances in generative AI had made it easier to create deceptive content capable of undermining public confidence in elections.

The INEC chairman spoke on Monday at ‘The Beyond the Ballot Summit’ in Abuja, where he explained that electoral management bodies worldwide had adopted AI-assisted processes to improve administrative efficiency and strengthen election planning.

He said, “Artificial Intelligence is not an enemy of democracy.”

Amupitan, however, expressed concern over the growing accessibility of generative AI tools, which he said could be exploited to manipulate voters and spread disinformation during elections.

“However, the rapid democratisation of generative AI models has dramatically lowered the barrier to entry for malicious actors; capacities and capabilities that require speedy-level intelligence resources, such as high voice cloning of public figures and hyper-realistic synthesis of election officials making false announcements, are now accessible at negligible cost. These tools target specific vulnerabilities with distinct timelines,” he said.

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The INEC chairman’s remarks come amid preparations for the 2027 general election, with the commission recently announcing plans to integrate AI into Nigeria’s electoral system.

The growing use of AI in electoral processes has heightened concerns about the spread of fabricated announcements, manipulated audio recordings and realistic videos that could mislead voters, impersonate public officials and disrupt election administration.

While the technology offers opportunities to improve the efficiency of election management, its potential misuse presents challenges for electoral integrity, particularly in an environment where false information can spread rapidly through social media.

INEC’s planned adoption of AI therefore places renewed emphasis on the need to balance technological innovation with safeguards against misinformation, impersonation and other forms of digital manipulation.

The commission noted that it would ensure that the technology strengthened the credibility, transparency and efficiency of the electoral process as Nigeria approaches the 2027 polls.