The paper, “Generative AI and its Influence on India’s 2024 Elections,” authored by D Dhanuraj, Sreelakshmi Harilal, and Nissy Solomon of CPPR, explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) was utilized in the 2024 General Elections in India, a year marked by a significant increase in the use of technology in political campaigns. The widespread use of AI tools globally during the “super election year,“ a term coined by the UNDP, raised questions about their impact on democratic processes. In the Indian elections, key applications included deepfake technology, targeted voter outreach, and AI-generated campaign materials. AI was employed positively, enhancing the effectiveness of campaign outreach and enabling customized messaging, and negatively, allowing campaigners to amplify propaganda and spread deceptive content and misinformation to the masses, which was impossible in previous election campaigns.

The paper highlights AI‘s dual role in enhancing voter engagement while also posing ethical risks. It raises concerns about voter privacy, the spread of false information, and the decline of informed voting. The paper emphasizes the need for regulatory frameworks to ensure responsible AI use, protect democratic integrity, and prevent misuse. It suggests that current AI technology will likely be used in similar ways in future elections. The study underscores the importance of a collaborative approach involving political parties, regulatory bodies, technology platforms, and voters to establish ethical standards for AI use in elections, ensuring that technological advancements support rather than undermine democratic principles.

This policy paper is part of a series analysing the effects of generative AI on elections, focusing on India, exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on democratic processes and electoral integrity.

Authors: D Dhanuraj, Sreelakshmi Harilal, and Nissy Solomon.

It was originally published by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the German Council on Foreign Relations.

Dr D Dhanuraj is the Founder-Chairman, Sreelakshmi Harilal is an Associate, Research & Projects (Chairman’s Office), and Nissy Solomon is an Hon. Trustee (Research & Programs) at Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi, India.

Views expressed by the authors are personal and need not reflect or represent the views of the Centre for Public Policy Research.