Namfrel opposes ban on AI for elections

POLL watchdog group National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) has opposed the Commission on Elections' proposed ban on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in elections.

In a position paper on Tuesday, Namfrel said that despite issues surrounding AI, particularly deepfakes in the recent elections in South Korea and Indonesia, the poll watchdog said AI is «here to stay.»

Last May, Comelec Chairman George Garcia proposed a ban on AI and the use of deepfakes campaign materials for the 2025 national and local elections.

But Namfrel warned that the ban "[might] curtail technological innovation and inadvertently limit the benefits of AI in enhancing electoral processes."

Further, it argued that AI technologies are «rapidly evolving,» making regulations against them ineffective.

Moreover, Namfrel said that banning AI could infringe on freedom of speech and expression and that the Comelec «may face challenges in enforcing a law banning AI or regulating it as it requires expertise and a new set of skills to implement and enforce the law.»

Namfrel recommended to the Comelec, during a roundtable discussion on June 26 at the University of Asia and the Pacific, to draft a Code of Conduct that will embody six ethical principles that all election stakeholders will adhere to.

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The six principles that the Namfrel laid out to the Comelec are transparency, respect for human rights, accountability, truthfulness, fairness and non-discrimination, and oversight by the Comelec itself.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia gestures during the 'Press Conference with the Chairman, Commissioners and Senior Officials in Manila, on July 17, 2024. PHOTOS BY MIKE ALQUINTO Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia gestures during the 'Press Conference with the Chairman, Commissioners and Senior Officials in Manila, on July 17, 2024. PHOTOS BY MIKE ALQUINTO Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia gestures during the 'Press Conference with the Chairman, Commissioners and Senior Officials in Manila, on July 17, 2024. PHOTOS BY MIKE ALQUINTO Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George