The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said artificial intelligence (AI) is not an enemy of democracy, noting that the technology can strengthen electoral administration when properly deployed.

Amupitan stated this on Monday at the Beyond the Ballot National Summit on Electoral Information Integrity in Abuja, where he highlighted the benefits and risks of emerging digital technologies ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said election management bodies worldwide were using AI-assisted systems to identify duplicate voter records, improve logistics, streamline data analysis and enhance administrative efficiency.

However, he warned that the widespread availability of generative AI tools had made it easier for malicious actors to produce convincing fake audio, videos and images.

According to him, voice cloning and fabricated recordings of election officials could be used to spread false announcements, mislead voters and undermine confidence in democratic institutions.

He said such threats could emerge at different stages of the electoral process, from voter registration and political campaigns to voting, results announcements and post-election dispute resolution.

The INEC chairman stressed that protecting elections required more than securing polling units and sensitive materials, adding that the information environment in which citizens receive and interpret electoral information must also be protected.

He called for stronger voter education, digital literacy and technological safeguards to help identify and counter misleading content.

Amupitan also urged collaboration among electoral institutions, media organisations, technology companies, security agencies, regulators and civil society groups to address the growing risks associated with digital manipulation.

Earlier, the Executive Director of the International Press Centre, Dr Lanre Arogundade, said Nigeria’s 2023 general elections demonstrated the dangers of misinformation and social media manipulation.

Arogundade advocated a coordinated national response to protect electoral information integrity, while ensuring that measures to tackle false content did not undermine fundamental rights.

The two-day summit, holding from November 2 to 3, was convened by the International Press Centre, the Centre for Media and Society and Development Alternatives Incorporated under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria programme.