The Election Commission of India has released new rules for disclosure and responsible use of AI-generated content in Bihar elections. These guidelines aim to maintain fair competition and protect voter trust in the democratic process.
Amid growing concerns over the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) and synthetic content in political campaigning, the Election Commission of India (EC) has issued a fresh advisory outlining stringent rules for disclosure and responsible use of such material ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.
In its directive, the poll body flagged the increasing use of hyper-realistic AI-generated content showing political leaders delivering “electorally sensitive messages.” Such material, the Election Commission said, undermines the principle of fair competition and distorts the electoral process.
Calling the misuse of AI-generated content a deep threat and challenge, the poll body warned that artificial or manipulated media can appear deceptively real, misleading voters and eroding trust in democratic institutions.
The Election Commission also noted that such content could “unwittingly trap political stakeholders into incorrect conclusions,” thereby weakening public confidence in free and fair elections.
The EC underscored the importance of transparency and accountability to safeguard electoral integrity and reiterated its commitment to maintaining a level playing field during campaigning.
Under the new guidelines, all political parties, candidates and campaign representatives must ensure that any AI-generated or digitally altered images, videos or audio used for electioneering carry a clear and prominent label, such as “AI-Generated,” “Digitally Enhanced” or “Synthetic Content.”
The label must occupy at least 10% of the visible display area and in audio content, it should be present during the first 10% of the duration, the advisory stated.
For videos, the label must appear in the top band of the screen. Each piece of such content must also include the name of the entity responsible for its creation in the metadata or caption.
Political parties have been directed to maintain internal records of all AI-generated campaign material, including creator details and timestamps, for verification when sought by the EC.
The advisory further prohibits publishing or forwarding any unlawful synthetic content that impersonates a person’s identity, likeness or voice without consent, especially if it could mislead voters. Any such content found on official party handles must be removed within three hours of being reported or detected.
