Poll watchdog rejects AI ban in 2025 polls

THE Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) yesterday rejected the proposal of Elections chairman George Garcia prohibit the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and deep fakes in all activities related to the May 2025 national and local polls.

In a statement, LENTE cited the crucial role that AI plays in the “global digital ecosystem.”

“LENTE advocates for a balanced perspective that recognizes the potential challenges posed by Al to our electoral processes, while also acknowledging the impossibility or impracticality of banning Al considering how deeply integrated it is into the infrastructure of modern society,” said LENTE.

“In coming up with any framework or initiative to respond to the risks it poses to democratic institutions, it is important to recognize it (is embedded) in our global digital ecosystem, its widespread adoption across countless industries or sectors, and how it drives innovation and socio-economic advancement,” it also said.

In addition, the group believes it will not be feasible for the poll body to effectively impose a ban on the technology due to the massive resources it will need to monitor such activities, especially during the campaign period.

“Enforcing a ban on Al would require the same level of rigorous social media monitoring by the Commission. The same efforts would be necessary for Comelec to monitor the proper usage of Al and to take actions against the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation,” said LENTE.

“Without proactive efforts and dedicated personnel from the Commission to conduct thorough social media monitoring, it will be challenging to uphold the principles essential to our democratic process,” it said.

Instead of banning AI, the poll watchdog said it would be better for the Comelec to just come up with stringent guidelines on how artificial intelligence should be utilized during the electoral exercise.

“Instead of outright prohibition, LENTE believes that it is more feasible to focus on developing robust ethical guidelines and/or regulatory frameworks that ensure Al is used responsibly during elections,” it said.

To do this, LENTE urged the Comelec to engage with social media/tech companies and