Queen's University Belfast: Researchers highlight Potential Risks of Utilizing AI in Election Administration

The findings are also useful in inspiring policymakers, electoral authorities, and the public to engage in informed discussions about the role of AI in safeguarding electoral integrity. As AI continues to permeate election administration, proactive measures must be taken to ensure that democratic principles remain paramount.

Image source: Economic Times

Study in UK: Queen’s University Belfast’s researchers have come out with a new study that warns against the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in election administration.  Queen’s University Belfast is UK’s leading research-intensive university and a member of the prestigious Russell Group.

It could pose serious threats to the democratic process, with minority groups likely to be most adversely affected, according to the study. The research, published in AI Magazine, is among the first to explore the impact of AI on 'core' electoral processes.

The study team was led by AI expert Dr Deepak Padmanabhan from the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; public-administration academic Professor Muiris MacCarthaigh from the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics; and early-stage researcher Stanley Simoes from the School of EEECS. The research team raised the concern about the use of certain AI technologies in elections.

Professor MacCarthaigh said, “There has been quite a lot of debate already around the use of fake news, ‘deepfakes’ and other misinformation to influence election campaigns and manipulate voters and results. But there hasn’t been much focus on the core, administrative elements of the election process – in fact, we believe our research to be among the first, if not the first, in this area. We don’t think AI is widespread yet in core electoral processes, although it is being used in some jurisdictions, particularly in the US and parts of Asia. The literature on this is very limited, which is partly what motivated us to want to dig deeper.” 

Dr Padmanabhan added, "It’s very likely that AI will become pervasive in election administration in the near future so we’re raising a flag in order to prompt and inform a public debate. We’re not saying it’s necessarily all bad, but our research uncovered several, significant concerns."

Queen's University Belfast Research Details

The study suggested that the use of AI technologies such as video monitoring of electoral activity to address fraud could impair the integrity of elections if widely adopted. The study calls for a public conversation around the use of AI in crucial electoral processes, including the administration of mailing lists, voter identification, and even the location of polling stations.

One of the main issues highlighted by the study is the use of facial recognition technology at polling stations. Despite its high accuracy rate, research has shown it to be less successful when used with people of colour, females, and younger people. This potential for disenfranchising minority groups is of significant concern, especially in relation to important processes such as elections.

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