AI Deepfakes Are A Threat To Our Democracy
Imagine getting a call from a political leader urging you not to vote, only to discover it was a hyper-realistic AI voice clone. This isn't a scene from a sci-fi movie; it's a real threat that has already been deployed.
In January 2024, a fake Joe Biden robocall targeted New Hampshire Democrats, telling them to stay home during the primary. The voice was synthetic, but the potential for chaos was very real. This incident is a stark preview of the challenges facing democracies worldwide, as elections become prime targets for AI-driven disinformation. The creation of convincing deepfakes, synthetic voices, and artificial images is becoming shockingly simple and difficult to detect. If left unchecked, this technology could erode public trust, suppress voter turnout, and destabilize our democratic foundations.
The Alarming Rise of Deepfake Technology
Deepfakes are artificially generated media—video, audio, or images—that use AI to realistically impersonate real people. While there are benign uses in movies and education, malicious applications are advancing rapidly. Open-source generative AI tools like ElevenLabs and OpenAI’s Voice Engine can produce high-quality voice clones from just a few seconds of audio. Meanwhile, apps such as Synthesia and DeepFaceLab have put sophisticated video manipulation tools into the hands of anyone with a laptop.
Political Disinformation Is Already Here
These powerful tools have already been weaponized for political purposes. Beyond the Biden robocall, Donald Trump's campaign shared an AI-generated image showing Taylor Swift endorsing him. While it was an obvious hoax, it circulated widely and demonstrated the potential for confusion. Furthermore, state-backed entities are deploying deepfakes in coordinated disinformation campaigns designed to target and destabilize democracies.
Canada's Regulatory Gap
Canada recently concluded its 2025 federal election without strong legal safeguards against AI-enabled disinformation. Unlike the European Union, which enacted the AI Act to mandate clear labeling of AI-generated content, Canada lacks binding regulations for transparency in political advertising. Instead, the country relies on voluntary codes of conduct and inconsistent platform moderation. This regulatory gap leaves Canada's information ecosystem highly vulnerable to manipulation.
Public concern is growing. A Pew Research Center survey found that a majority of Americans are worried about AI-generated election misinformation, and Canadian polls reflect similar anxieties. The threat is not hypothetical; researchers recently discovered deepfake clips mimicking Canadian news outlets circulating ahead of the 2025 vote, highlighting how quickly AI-powered scams can infiltrate our feeds.
A Five-Point Plan to Combat Deepfakes
While no single solution is perfect, Canada can take several key steps to protect its democracy:
- Content-Labeling Laws: Follow the EU's lead and mandate that creators disclose AI-generated political media.
- Detection Tools: Invest in Canadian research and development of deepfake detection tools. Pioneering work is already underway, and these tools should be integrated into newsrooms and fact-checking systems.
- Media Literacy: Fund public education programs to teach citizens how to spot deepfakes and practice digital literacy.
- Election Safeguards: Equip Elections Canada with a rapid-response framework to counter AI-driven disinformation campaigns during elections.
- Platform Accountability: Hold social media platforms responsible for failing to remove verified deepfakes and require transparent reporting on their detection and removal of AI-generated content.
Safeguarding Democracy in the AI Era
Democracy is built on trust—in our leaders, our institutions, and the information we consume. When that trust erodes, the fabric of society frays. Fortunately, AI can also be part of the solution. Researchers are developing digital watermarking techniques to trace synthetic content, and media outlets are using AI-powered fact-checking tools. Staying ahead of this threat requires a combination of smart regulation and an informed public.
We cannot afford to wait for a crisis. By modernizing our laws and building a proactive defense infrastructure now, we can help ensure that democracy doesn't become another casualty of the AI era.
