Pakistan Election Commission proposes AI regulations

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has proposed 12 amendments to its 2023 codes of conduct to regulate the use of artificial intelligence during elections. The draft measures aim to curb the misuse of AI, prohibit deceptive deepfakes, and ensure transparency among political parties, media organizations, and election observers.

Under the proposed rules, political parties and candidates must disclose the use of AI-generated campaign materials, including synthetic voices and deepfake images or videos. Media outlets and social media influencers would be required to clearly label AI-altered content. While media organizations may use AI for translation or analysis, they remain responsible for the accuracy of the material.

The amendments include five changes for media organizations, five for political parties and candidates, and three for election observers. To ensure compliance, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority, and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency will monitor undisclosed AI content. The ECP has requested stakeholder feedback on these proposals by November 20.