Lira: AI may pose risks to the electoral process – 08/18/2023 – Market

The mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), said this Friday (18) that the misuse of artificial intelligence could bring serious risks to the Brazilian elections, and defended a “tough legislation” that regulates the technology.

“Artificial intelligence can be used for good or for evil,” he said during the Brazilian Forum on Artificial Intelligence, organized by the Progressive Party, which takes place in São Paulo. “I keep imagining the serious risks that the population runs with its misuse”, he amended.

Lira argued that the possibility that AI brings of creating fake speeches in videos with voices identical to those of politicians, in addition to photo manipulation, could compromise the electoral process. And he said that the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) “will have work in the next elections” with the effects of this technology.

“We must make our contribution to the good use of artificial intelligence,” he said on behalf of Congress.

According to Lira, the regulation of artificial intelligence should also be responsible for minimizing the strong impact it will have on the job market, with the automation of various functions.

Also present at the event, Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the STF (Federal Supreme Court), asked that Congress start working as soon as possible to create basic legislation for AI. And he defended that this debate should take place within the scope of the regulation of the technological giants.

Moraes argued that combining the power of social networks with artificial intelligence can make it difficult to reverse the damage caused by misinformation.

“We are going to have problems in the next elections with this,” said Moraes. “Artificial intelligence can disrupt the level playing field in the electoral process,” he added.

The minister, however, defended a “minimalist regulation” of this technology.

Without directly opposing Moraes, the president of the Federal Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), said that the regulation of AI should avoid the controversies surrounding the creation of legislation for social networks.

“We are not talking here about regulating social networks,” said Pacheco. “The issue of artificial intelligence is much broader.”

According to the parliamentarian, artificial intelligence can ruin an entire nation, and can be decisive in choosing political representatives.

Pacheco said that, in addition to the Science and Technology and Communication and Digital Security commissions, the House recently created a specific commission to discuss a project that regulates artificial intelligence. The project should be delivered throughout this year, according to the senator.