The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has said artificial intelligence (AI) is not a threat to democracy but warned that its misuse could pose significant challenges to election management and the credibility of electoral processes.
Amupitan made the remarks on Monday, November 2, at the Beyond the Ballot Summit in Abuja, where he highlighted the opportunities and risks associated with the growing use of AI in elections.
“Artificial Intelligence, AI, is not an enemy of democracy,” he said.
The INEC chairman explained that election management bodies across the world were already using AI-assisted processes to identify duplicate records in large voter registers, improve logistics and planning, analyse data and enhance administrative efficiency.
However, he warned that the increasing accessibility of generative AI tools had created new opportunities for individuals and groups seeking to undermine elections or mislead voters.
According to him, sophisticated technologies that previously required considerable technical expertise and financial resources could now be accessed at relatively low cost.
Amupitan identified voice cloning of public figures and the production of realistic but fabricated recordings of election officials making false announcements as some of the emerging threats to electoral integrity.
“These tools target specific vulnerabilities with distinct timelines,” he said.
His remarks come after his recent announcement that INEC plans to integrate artificial intelligence into Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission’s proposed adoption of the technology is expected to support electoral administration, although concerns remain over the potential misuse of AI-generated content to spread misinformation and undermine public confidence in the voting process.
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