Pakistan's Former PM Imran Khan Uses AI To Deliver Victory Speech From Jail Amid Political Turmoil

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has declared victory in the country’s election through an artificially generated voice. This announcement comes despite Khan’s imprisonment and his party’s disqualification from the election.

What Happened: Despite being imprisoned and barred from running in the election, Khan used artificial intelligence to create a stand-in-voice to communicate his victory to his supporters, reported Politico. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was disqualified from the election, but its members ran as independents and secured 101 out of 266 seats in the National Assembly.

The election initially seemed to be in favor of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz party, led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. However, the final count showed the party winning only 75 seats.

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This is not the first time Khan has used AI to communicate with his supporters from prison. In December, he delivered campaign speeches using the same method. The election was marred by violence and distrust, with the vote count being delayed due to internet outages.

Why It Matters: Khan’s use of AI to communicate with his supporters from prison is a significant development, especially considering the recent controversies surrounding AI-generated content. In 2023, Scarlett Johansson sued an AI generator for creating deep-fake images and voices without her permission. This incident sparked concerns about the potential misuse of AI-generated content.

Moreover, the use of AI in political contexts has been a topic of concern. In a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, AI leaders discussed the potential risks AI could pose to the democratic process, particularly in the context of elections. Khan’s use of AI to communicate his victory from prison adds a new dimension to this ongoing conversation about the intersection of AI and politics.

Earlier, in January, Khan was sentenced to a 10-year jail term for leaking state secrets. His party, PTI, announced plans to challenge the court’s decision.

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